


Adjustments Final Mix

by HouseofSannae



Series: Kingdom Hearts Ψ: The Seeker of Darkness [24]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Additional Tags To Be Added As Chapters Are Posted, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Discussions of sex, Everyone dunks on Lea: the fic, Excessive Sinatra, I can't believe that "Pluto & Xion" wasn't already a tag, Multi, Please drink responsibly, Preparations for War, Should still count as "Teen" but please alert me if it needs changing, Vanitas gets hugged, Xion goes Berserk, alcohol use, obnoxious Hellsing references, plotted pre-Kingdom Hearts III
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-03
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2021-01-21 03:48:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 39,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21293129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HouseofSannae/pseuds/HouseofSannae
Summary: Snapshots from life in the Mysterious Tower as Terra and Isa adjust to being awake, alive, whole, and themselves again.
Relationships: Aqua & Lea (Kingdom Hearts), Aqua & Terra & Ventus (Kingdom Hearts), Aqua & Terra (Kingdom Hearts), Aqua & Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts), Daisy Duck/Donald Duck, Hayner/Lenna Charlotte Tycoon, Isa & Lea & Roxas & Xion (Kingdom Hearts), Isa & Lea & Ventus (Kingdom Hearts), Isa & Lea (Kingdom Hearts), Isa & Roxas (Kingdom Hearts), Isa & Terra (Kingdom Hearts), Isa & Ventus (Kingdom Hearts), Isa & Xion (Kingdom Hearts), Kairi & Minnie Mouse & Daisy Duck (Kingdom Hearts), Kairi & Riku (Kingdom Hearts), Kairi & Roxas & Xion (Kingdom Hearts), Kairi & Terra (Kingdom Hearts), Kairi/Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Max Goof & Goofy, Mickey Mouse/Minnie Mouse (Kingdom Hearts), Naminé & Terra (Kingdom Hearts), Naminé & Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts), Olette/Pence (Kingdom Hearts), Pluto & Xion (Kingdom Hearts), Riku & Terra (Kingdom Hearts), Roxas & Terra (Kingdom Hearts), Roxas & Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts), Roxas/Xion (Kingdom Hearts), Sora & Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts), Terra & Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts), Terra & Ventus (Kingdom Hearts), Vanitas & Ventus (Kingdom Hearts), Vanitas & Xion (Kingdom Hearts), Vanitas & Yen Sid (Kingdom Hearts)
Series: Kingdom Hearts Ψ: The Seeker of Darkness [24]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/960336
Comments: 574
Kudos: 343





	1. To Make Me Fret, To Make Me Frown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isa sits down to have some conversations he'd been expecting, and some that he hadn't.

“And yeah, I know it’s not a good idea to go shopping for clothes without the person they’re going to, but I didn’t think you’d want to stay in that coat longer than you had to, right?”

Could it be said that one was avoiding one’s past when the representatives of one’s past were doing the avoiding?

“So I got you these and underwear, too… I’m not sure what size you need now so I got a few, hopefully at least one will fit, or be close enough that we can go get something that fits properly.”

It had been two days since he’d awakened, and he still had yet to see the girl he now knew to be Xion. He had also yet to see Roxas without a distrustful sneer on his face.

Which was understandable.

“Sorry about the pattern, it was all they had… Isa? You listening to me?”

Isa blinked, and focused on Lea’s concerned face. “Yes, I… thank you. You didn’t have to.”

Lea shrugged. “Hey, who else was gonna?”

Isa looked down. “Lea… are we still friends?”

Lea blinked. “Huh? Of course we’re still friends, what are you talking…” Isa fixed him with a sad look and he understood. “Yes,” he said, putting a comforting hand on Isa’s shoulder. “We are absolutely still friends. Things might be… a little awkward, for a while, but I missed you. I wanted you back. I…” he broke off suddenly. “You’re my friend, Isa. No matter what.”

There was honesty in his eyes, and Isa found it wasn’t hard to meet them. “But… after everything…”

“After everything,” Lea said, “there’s you, and there’s me.”

“And all of your other friends I hurt,” Isa said.

“I’ve hurt them, too, in my time. We worked through it. It’s just gonna take time.”

Isa sighed. “I wish I had your confidence, but I suppose I can accept that.”

Lea smiled. “Trust me. Have I ever steered you wrong? Don’t answer that,” he added hastily as Isa opened his mouth, a teasing look on his face that Lea remembered from years before Nobodies and Organizations and Darkness.

“Are you sure? I have a list memorized,” Isa teased, and Lea laughed.

Isa had missed that sound.

“Well,” Lea said, standing up from the bed where they’d been sitting. “Might as well let you get changed.”

Isa raised an eyebrow. “You don’t have to–”

“I’ll be right across the hall if you need a critique or something,” Lea said, already halfway out the door. He shut it behind him.

Isa sighed, and turned to the pile of clothes. There was also something awkward between himself and Lea, although he supposed that was equally understandable. Hopefully they’d be able to work through it in time.

Lea had bought him a pair of tan slacks much like Lea’s own, and several pairs of multicoloured socks. The shirt he’d bought was a collared button-down in cerulean, with a slightly darker blue sweater-vest in plaid. Isa shook his head, chuckling. Lea had always said they’d look good on him. He still wanted to pick up a jacket, though.

There were no shoes, on account of Lea not knowing his shoe size. His boots would serve for the time being. Perhaps the fairies could change them into something else.

He looked down at his completed outfit and smiled, softly. “How did I ever doubt you cared?” he murmured to himself.

It was after breakfast and Isa had returned to his room. The others were letting him have his space, which he appreciated. It was easier to work through things where others couldn’t see him.

There was knock on the door. “It’s open,” he said. That said, he also recognized that sequestering himself wasn’t healthy in the long run.

A blond head poked through the door. “Hey, Isa. I don’t suppose you remember me?”

“…Ventus, right?” Isa asked.

Ventus beamed. “Right! Although, I’m pretty sure I told you to call me Ven.”

“…Right,” Isa said.

There was silence. Ven’s head was still stuck through Isa’s doorway. “Mind if I come in?” he asked.

Isa nodded. “You’re welcome to.”

Ven came in and sat down on the bed. Isa wondered about the possibility of getting a second chair in there, as he wasn’t going to be surprised if the influx of guests continued. “I just wanted to ask how you were feeling,” Ven said, carefully.

Isa considered the question. “I’m fine.”

“Uh-huh,” Ven said. “You know, Terra told me the exact same thing, and I got back to discover he wasn’t, and almost hurt himself trying to hide it.” He gave Isa a Look. “You sure you’re okay?”

“I…” Isa sighed. “Things are different than they were. I’m trying to pick up the pieces of a life that I lost over a decade ago, that will never completely go back to the way it was. I have done too many things to not accept at least some measure of guilt for it. I have burned bridges and I am shocked to find them still standing. No, Ven, I am not okay; but I also do not want to discuss it.”

“Okay,” Ven said, nodding. “Do you mind if I talk about what my experiences were like for a bit?”

Isa blinked in confusion, but shook his head. Ven took a deep breath. “It’s hard. It’s hard figuring out where to pick up, and what’s even still there to pick up. The mistake we make is assuming that just because things have to change, it doesn’t mean they can’t be good again. They’ll never be the same, and that’s not a bad thing. There’s no one way for things to be good. It’s just a matter of finding a new way that’s good. Did… did any of that make sense?” he asked, wincing.

Slowly, Isa nodded. “It did. Thank you, Ven.”

Ven beamed, and Isa internally smirked at the resemblance to Sora. “Anytime. If you decide you do want to talk, with someone you don’t have a lot of baggage with–”

“Thank you,” Isa said again, and Ven nodded, and left. Isa went back to the book he’d been reading, but unconsciously, his lips twitched into a small smile.

After lunch, Isa’s door slammed open. He looked up from the book to see another, familiar blond face.

“We need to talk,” Roxas said.

He’d been expecting this. “I’m listening.”

“First off, fuck you. Second… Axel made me promise to give you a chance. He said that ‘Saïx’ isn’t who you really are.” Roxas’s expression was angry, but Isa was starting to suspect that the teen just defaulted to the emotion. “Not sure I believe him yet. But if I’m not Sora, then maybe Saïx isn’t you.”

Isa stilled. “Saïx _was_ me. Saïx was me at my worst. Me giving in to the darker fears and instincts. I cannot sit here and say that what I did to hurt you, and what I did to hurt Xion, was outside of my control.”

Roxas’s eyes narrowed. “You’ll get it if it takes me a while to accept you. Right?”

“I do. It may bother Lea. However, as long as we don’t come to blows, he’ll respect it.”

Roxas smirked humourlessly. “How’s your shoulder?”

Isa tilted his head. “How’s your handwriting?”

Roxas’s smirk faded. “I don’t know what it is that Axel sees in you.”

“I don’t know why you keep calling him ‘Axel’,” Isa replied, matching his tone. “His name is _Lea_.”

“‘Axel’ is the only name I’ve ever called him. He said he was okay with it. I don’t see how that’s your business,” said Roxas.

“Would _you_ want to be constantly reminded of your past mistakes?” Isa snapped, and immediately regretted it.

Fury etched through Roxas’s features. “You meant the things he did while working for the Organization,” he said, voice low.

“I did,” Isa said.

“You didn’t mean Xion and me.”

“I did not,” Isa agreed. “…and I am sorry. I spoke without thinking through the implications of what I was saying.”

He meant it. Roxas seemed to get even angrier upon realizing that he meant it. He stepped forwards and jabbed a finger into Isa’s face. “If you hurt him again,” he whispered, “in any way, you’ll be answering to _me_.”

“I understand,” Isa said. Roxas turned towards the door and moved to leave. “Roxas,” Isa said, in a dark tone.

“What?”

“That goes for you as well. If you hurt Lea, in any way… you’ll be answering to _me_.”

Bizarrely, Roxas smiled. “Looks like we understand each other.”

Isa bared his teeth in a matching smile. “It looks like we do.”

The knock on his door was quiet this time. It was long after dinner, and the sun had dipped below the horizon, leaving only a few last rays of light behind. “Come in,” Isa said.

The door swung open, and there she stood.

Isa didn’t say anything, and neither did Xion. She just stood there, staring at him.

“Is there something you want… Xion?” Isa asked, softly.

She started at the sound of her name. “You don’t recognize me,” she said, just as softly.

“No,” Isa said. “I had to ask Lea if you were who I thought you were.”

“Well,” Xion said. “This is me. This is who I am.”

“I see that,” said Isa. “I see _you_. And… I am sorry for the way I treated you.”

“What if I don’t forgive you?” Xion said, softly.

Isa lowered his head. “Then I understand why completely, and I don’t begrudge you that.”

Xion held her head high. “I am not an ‘it’.”

“No, you are not,” Isa agreed.

“I am a ‘she’.”

“Yes, you are,” Isa agreed.

Xion’s eyes narrowed. “And I _always_ have been a ‘she’.” There was a note of challenge in her voice. On some level, it was achingly familiar.

“Yes, you have been,” Isa said, still looking down. “And my insistence otherwise was cruel.”

She sighed. “Was I really just a lifeless puppet to you?”

“No,” Isa said, quietly. “You were the lifeless puppet that my best friend cared about more than he cared about me.”

There was silence. “The worst part of all of this,” Xion said eventually, “is that I can’t even bring myself to hate you anymore. Precisely because of shit like that. I can’t hate you because I understand why you were the way you were.” Slowly, she sat down on his bed. “And I know what it feels like for the person you love to just… forget you.”

Isa moved to the bed, too. “I don’t think it’s fair to compare our situations. You were wiped from peoples’ memories regardless of what they wanted. Lea and I… grew apart. And it crystalized when he was put in charge of the two of you.” He sighed. “I can’t even claim it was just time and circumstance; I pushed him away.”

“He came back to you,” Xion said.

“And Roxas came back to you,” said Isa.

Xion sighed. They sat in silence for a while. “Can you promise me something?” Xion asked eventually.

“That would depend on what it is, but I will try,” said Isa.

“Don’t push Lea away again. He soldiers through it, but it hurts him like you wouldn’t believe.”

“The last thing I want to do… is hurt him again,” Isa murmured.

“Not being truthful with him is hurting him, too.” Xion said in the same tone. “Roxas and I found that out the hard way.”

“I know.” Isa sighed. “There was a time when he knew me better than anyone. And now… we’re almost strangers again. I don’t know how to get back to where we were. I don’t think we can get there again.”

“No, but you can get somewhere new,” Xion said.

“That’s what Ven told me,” Isa said. He sighed again. “Why are you trying to talk me through this?”

“What do you mean?” Xion asked, frowning.

“We went from you saying you might never forgive the way I treated you, to you coaching me on how to repair my relationship with Lea. What happened?”

Xion looked down at her hands. “Isa… I don’t _want_ to hate you.”

“Pardon me?”

“Regardless of our past history, I’m willing to believe Lea when he says you weren’t always ‘Saïx’. I want to give you a chance to be different. And I feel the best way to do that is to reach out.” Gingerly, she extended a hand to him.

Isa stared at her. A slow chuckle rose up from the depths of his throat. “I see why he cares so much for you,” he said, and gently took her hand.

She smiled at him. “Hello, Isa. My name is Xion.”

He smiled back. “Hello, Xion. My name is Isa.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaack!  
Sorry about the long wait, but this fic is finally done as of about an hour ago, and I figured why make you all wait another week? I'm certainly sick of waiting! Hopefully I'll be able to do NortFight2k20 from start to finish in the next 14 weeks. Can't make a promise, though, since that one's definitely going to be the longest fic (by number of chapters) in this series. (Also, that's not the title. Promise.)  
This chapter's title is a play on "I've Got No Strings" from Pinocchio; if you're wondering why not the simpler "No Strings On Me"... I have that earmarked for a Xion-centric fic later on down the line. And that's all I'll say on _that_.  
The structure of this chapter is somewhat based on A Christmas Carol, with Isa as Scrooge and Lea, Ven, Roxas, and Xion being the four (counting Marley) ghosts that visit him over the course of the night. I've been having a lot of fun with Isa, partially because I have a friend who adores him. I don't think I have as firm a hold on his character as I do Terra's, but I hope you enjoy what I do with him regardless. (And I hope you enjoy Lea getting dunked on, because there's gonna be a lot of that. I'm not apologizing.)  
Despite Saïx being the most direct of the people who abused Xion, I really find it more likely that _Roxas_ would be the one who has a huge problem with him, and Xion as more understanding of _why_ Saïx didn't like her. There are other parallels between them, too. Thus why Xion is more interested in finding out who Isa is as a person, and Roxas is more interested in stabbing him. (Isa does not get stabbed in this fic. Sorry, Roxas.)  
I think that's about most of the salient points, as always feel free to ask for more information/more in-depth explanation. Since this is going up on Sunday rather than Friday, I think we'll be moving to Sundays for updates for this fic (I don't want to make you wait two weeks for the next chapter, and I _absolutely_ will need all 14 weeks of this one going up to write the next fic, if not more, so I'm not putting the next chapter up this Friday, either). Once NortFight2k20 is finished, we'll see where we stand; if I get it done before this fic is completely up (which I'll say right now is unlikely), it'll go up on a Friday two weeks afterwards. If I don't, we'll see.  
I'd also like to talk a bit about this fic's structure. It was originally called "Preparations for War" in my outline (still is, actually), and as such there will be a few chapters dedicated to establishing things necessary for the coming conflict *cough*_Keyblade armour_*cough*, rather than to character interaction. I think I still managed to work a goodly bit of character action out of it, anyway. My point is, expect more than one chapter dedicated to "characters learn/acquire new skill/resource".  
I think that's everything! It's good to be back! Until next time!


	2. A Familiar Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two early risers share a conversation and the logistics of having long hair

Terra had overlooked a serious problem.

“How exactly did Xemnas live with this all the time?” he murmured to himself. Growing his hair longer was something he’d never considered back in the Land of Departure, for precisely this reason.

It got in his eyes

It was long enough that it was starting to get in his _mouth_ if he tilted his head the wrong way. Ven had caught him bending over to drink from the tap in the bathroom sink, and Terra had had to hold his hair up to prevent getting a mouthful. Ven had disapprovingly tapped the stack of reusable plastic cups the Tower had so generously provided; Terra was still in the doghouse regarding the whole “claiming he was fine” fiasco.

Evidently Xemnas, and Xehanort before him, had found a way around these problems. Of course the obvious answer was “get old enough to go bald,” but Terra needed a more immediate solution.

He pushed his hair back out of his eyes and wiped the sweat away with it. Before everything, he’d had a strict training regimen to start his mornings. Xemnas hadn’t kept up with it, obviously, though on the other hand he hadn’t needed to. (That was also likely the reason he’d never had a problem with drinking from the sink that Terra could recall, not needing to drink to begin with. Of course, he also couldn’t recall a point where Xemnas had drank from the sink. But it had to have happened at some point. Right?)

Despite also not needing it due to being a partial heart inside a suit of armour, his Lingering Will _had_ kept up with the exercises whenever it could. Starting with something familiar was a good starting point for teaching oneself something new, and that was how Terra had, over the years between when he was last himself and now, put together new techniques and Keyblade forms. Therefore, it had been easy to fall back into the habit, and he now started his mornings thusly, in the training ground in front of the Tower.

But the hair problem still rankled him.

He was beginning to wonder if he should look for a sweatband on the trip into Twilight Town he was letting Ven and Aqua take him on (as part of apologizing to Ven for lying to him) when he noticed a shuffle of papers out of the corner of his eye.

“Hello?” he asked, turning, and Naminé froze. “Hey, didn’t see you come over.”

“H-h-h-hi,” she stammered. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude–”

“You weren’t,” Terra said, smiling. “I’m surprised anyone else is up this early.”

Naminé shrugged, although she still looked like she’d been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. “It’s nice and quiet in the morning. Plus, somebody has to make the coffee before Kairi gets up.” She was clutching a notebook to her chest.

Terra nodded towards it. “Drawing something?”

“Huh?! Um… No!” Naminé said, her eyes shifting side to side as she looked for a way out.

Terra smirked. “If you were drawing me, I don’t mind.” As long as he was clothed, he added mentally, figuring that Naminé seemed to be stressed enough without being teased on top of it.

Naminé visibly sagged with relief. “Yes, um, I was. I’m sorry, usually I ask, but you were in the middle of a set, and if I stopped you…” He face pinched up, unsure of how to word it.

“The magic would be gone?” Terra asked, kindly.

She brightened. “Yes, exactly!” She giggled a bit. “You know, it’s funny phrasing it that way when we can do _actual_ magic, but yes, that’s what I was thinking. You’re sure it’s okay with you?”

“Of course!” Terra said, grinning. “Though, would you mind if I looked through what you’ve drawn? I get it if you don’t want me to.”

“Um, no, that’s okay!” Naminé said, abruptly really panicky again.

Terra tilted his head. “You sure?”

“Yeah. Here,” she said, shoving the sketch book at him.

He flipped through the pages, slowly grinning. Naminé had been described to him as an artist, but he hadn’t realized she was this skilled despite only around three years of experience. “These are really good!” he said, smiling at her as he flipped another page.

Naminé flinched. Terra looked down at the page and saw that it was a drawing of him in mid-turn, his hair flying in his face. He let out a snort of laughter. “Ah, I see you got my good side,” he joked.

Naminé was bright red. “I’m sorry. Sometimes I get into a groove and I just can’t stop myself…”

“Why are you apologizing?” Terra asked. “It’s funny. And it looks good.” They weren’t rough sketches. They were fully lined and inked, though still in black and white.

Naminé looked down, embarrassed. “I thought… it doesn’t really show you in a good light…”

“I don’t mind that,” Terra said. “There’s nothing wrong with laughing at yourself every once in a while. I’m just glad I’m here _to_ laugh. Besides, there’s much more embarrassing stuff you could have drawn–” As he spoke, he flipped the page before Naminé could stop him.

He looked at the drawing, then looked at Naminé. She’d buried her face in her hands. He looked back at the drawing. “Is this Roxas and Xion kissing?”

“They do it a lot,” Naminé mumbled. “I was gonna pin it on the back of Lea’s door, but… I kinda like it too much to take it out.”

“Well, it’s very well done,” Terra said, biting back laughter. “Have you drawn any of the other… oh, I see.” The next page was three drawings, of Sora kissing Kairi, of Sora kissing Riku, and of Kairi kissing Riku. “Once is not enough for those three, huh?”

“Kairi actually asked for those,” Naminé said, though she was still bright red. “I’m going to paint them and give them as a triptych for their anniversary. But I need the sketches for reference.”

“I see,” Terra said, and flipped another page. “…Oh.”

“In my defense,” Naminé said, somehow reddening further, “it seems obvious.”

“I do understand what you’re saying,” Terra said, “But I take it you’re not sharing this one.”

Naminé shook her head so fast she almost hit him with her hair. “Absolutely not.”

“All right, then I won’t mention it to anyone,” Terra said. He turned another page and frowned. “Who’s this?”

Naminé stilled. “Just… someone I met once or twice,” she mumbled.

The drawing was a girl around Aqua’s age, with bright orange-red hair and a warm smile. She was wearing a heavily beaded pink crop top, and a skirt made of brown fur. Something about the drawing seemed distant, unfulfilled.

“…it looks to me like there’s a story here,” Terra said. “Do you want to tell me about her?”

Naminé bit her lip, looking down. “…Her name is Oerba Dia Vanille,” she said eventually, “and I shouldn’t be thinking about her.”

“Shouldn’t be thinking about her?” Terra asked, gently. He motioned her over to a bench on the side of the training grounds, and they sat down.

He listened intently and slowly felt his heart ache for the girl as Naminé explained the story of herself and the Gran Pulsian girl she’d met and had to part with. He offered her his shoulder, and Naminé leaned into him, grateful for the support. This couldn’t have been the first time she’d told the story, but he understood that some things need longer than others to stop being painful. It clearly hadn’t been enough time.

“I don’t see what’s wrong with remembering her,” he said, gently, when Naminé had finished.

She sniffed. “I shouldn’t be focusing on her. It can’t happen, so all this pain and longing is for nothing. And it’s just hurting me.” She took a deep breath. “And I’m not ready to find someone else yet. So all I have is… memories that are painful because I was hoping they were leading to more. And they didn’t.”

Terra squeezed her shoulder. “It’s okay to still be upset.”

“I know. But I feel like… doing this is me not wanting to move on. And I need to move on to be healthy,” Naminé whispered.

Terra nodded. “I don’t know that this isn’t you moving on. She was important to you; moving on doesn’t mean you have to forget her. And, from what you told me, she could use someone to remember her.”

A tear dripped from Naminé’s cheek. “I don’t like this.”

“I don’t think anyone does,” Terra agreed.

She looked up at him. “Have you ever been in love, Terra?”

“Uh…” He weighed the potential problems of bringing up the past versus how much Naminé needed a subject change. “I thought I was a long time ago, but I was just a kid. And it didn’t work out like that.”

“You never saw them again, either?”

“N…no…” Terra admitted. “We see each other every day, actually.”

There was a silence that lasted for exactly three seconds before Naminé gasped. “Really? Was it _A_–?”

“Yes,” Terra said. “I was fourteen and she was thirteen. We figured out pretty quickly that we didn’t actually like each other like that. We both agreed to never discuss it again.” It was his turn to redden.

“Huh,” Naminé said. He had the dreadful suspicion that she was smirking at him. But at least she was feeling better.

He sighed, and shook his head, and moved his hair out of his eyes again. “Out of curiosity, how long did it take for things to be normal between you two again?” Naminé asked.

Terra considered the question. “Well… not that long, but it was a different normal. You know how sometimes you get the urge to show off in front of boys?”

“No,” Naminé said with a hint of humour.

“Oh, right. You know how sometimes you get the urge to show off in front of girls?” Terra amended. Naminé nodded. “That kind of went away after that. It was like I had no reason to impress Aqua in that way. I still wanted to impress her as a friend, you know, wow her with what I could do; but it was in a “look at what I accomplished so I can share it with you” sort of way, not a “look what I can do and be amazed.” Terra scratched his head. “Does that make sense?”

“I guess,” Naminé said, nodding. “…I hope you don’t mind me saying it, but… it’s kind of comforting to know that you haven’t figured things out either.”

“Figured things out?” Terra asked.

“That you don’t have… um… I just realized that what I’m saying could come across as insulting… sorry,” Naminé mumbled.

Terra smiled. “It’s okay. No, I don’t have ‘things figured out’ either. I don’t think there’s a time limit for that sort of thing.”

“There’s death,” Naminé said, offhand.

“Yeah… true… but I mean, during life,” Terra said, giving her a sidelong glance. His hair fell in his eyes again. He pushed it to the side, sighing a bit.

“Is that bothering you?” Naminé asked.

“Huh? Oh. Yeah,” Terra said. “It didn’t used to be this long, so it’s been a bit of an adjustment.”

Naminé pursed her lips. “Um… I might be able to… do something about that, if it’s okay with you. Braid it, I mean.”

“Braid it?” Terra asked.

Naminé nodded. “So at least the front will stay out of your eyes. It won’t even be that hard, I’ll just need something to tie it back with, or pin it, or something. If you’re okay with it?”

Terra smiled at her. “Sure,” he said. “What do you need me to do?”

“I need to reach your head,” Naminé said, and Terra sat down on the ground in front of her. “I’m sorry, this is probably going to pull a bit. I haven’t practiced on anyone but myself.”

“That’s fine,” Terra said, and she began running her fingers through his hair, murmuring to herself in an undertone as she tried to figure out what to do for him. He closed his eyes. It had been a long time since someone else had worked on his hair; even longer than he thought of it as being, he reflected.

“I think I can do the bangs long enough to circle around to the back of your head,” Naminé said, a note of irritation in her voice; not actual anger, just the curiosity of whether or not she was right. “Then maybe it would be best to gather the back up in a ponytail, get it off your neck.”

“Sounds good,” Terra said, quietly.

“Something wrong?” Naminé asked.

“It’s just… that sounds roughly like the way our Master wore his hair,” Terra explained, “up in the back. And I’m…” There was still a lot to process there.

Gently, Naminé patted the top of his head. “We don’t have to do that if you don’t want to.”

“I don’t think it’s going to look all that similar. Especially if you’re going to get this stuff in the front out of the way,” Terra said. “And I don’t have the beard, anyway.”

“I see,” Naminé said, and there was no judgement in her tone. Terra was getting the impression that Naminé was the kind of person that reserved harsh judgements only for herself. “…Kairi’s probably going to say you look like an elf. There’s this book series she really likes–”

“I don’t have grey eyes, though,” Terra said, amused.

Naminé stopped. “You’re kidding. Have you read them?”

“I loved medieval fantasy books when I was younger,” Terra explained. “And from your reaction I’m guessing I got it right?”

Naminé nodded. “Kairi has a whole spiel about the differences between the book and the film adaptations, which is the only reason why I know about the eye colour thing… what?”

Terra had twisted around to stare at her. “There’s a movie now?”

“Yeah. They’ve been out for a while… but I guess you were indisposed,” Naminé said, trailing off, sheepish.

Terra sat back in wonder. “Well, that’s something to look forwards to after we stop Xehanort,” he said, smiling.

“May I ask why fantasy? You were already the wielder of a magic key-sword. Our lives are pretty close to most people’s idea of fantasy already,” Naminé asked.

Terra shrugged. “It was the way it looked at the worlds, I think. The idea that there could be heroes out there that never faltered, that always knew the right thing to do and did it… though I guess that part was unrealistic,” he added, looking down.

“There’s nothing wrong with aspiring to be better,” Naminé said, “as long as you keep in mind that there’s also nothing wrong with falling short of a fictional character.”

“Some pedestals are just too high for a real person to reach,” Terra agreed. “How does it look?”

“Huh? Oh! Well, I still need something to tie it back with,” Naminé said. “A piece of string, or a hair tie.”

“Or a bow or scrunchie?” Terra asked, smirking.

Naminé blushed, although he couldn’t see it. “I mean… yes, but I didn’t think that you would…”

“I don’t,” Terra said, “but I wouldn’t get upset at you for suggesting it.”

“Aqua was under the impression that you didn’t like ‘girly’ things,” Naminé said, carefully.

“Well, once upon a time that was true,” said Terra, “but I’ve had a lot of time to think since then. When your body gets hijacked by a person you were told was trustworthy, and you spend a decade drifting in and out of consciousness in a desert as a monument to your own sins, you get a bit of a new perspective on what is and isn’t important.”

“I see,” Naminé said, and there was a smile both in her tone and on her face.

“Would this work?” Terra asked, holding up a bit of string.

“Where did you get that?” she asked, confused.

Terra shrugged. “It was in my pocket.”

“Why did you have a piece of string in your pocket?”

He turned as best he could with her holding his hair in place to look at her. “Do you not have a piece of string in your pocket?”

“Not… usually?”

He blinked. “Huh. I typically have one, just in case.”

“In… case of what?”

He shrugged. “I dunno, just in case.”

“Okay,” Naminé said, with only the barest hint of bemusement. “Let’s try it.”

She tied his hair back, and Terra shook his head. “How does it feel?” she asked.

“Feels good,” he said, smiling at her.

She smiled back. “Want me to show you how to do it yourself?”

“Absolutely,” Terra replied, and she undid her handiwork in preparation to walk him through it.

Privately, Terra was somewhat amused. It looked like there really wasn’t anything he couldn’t overcome, with the help of his friends.

Even the ones he’d just made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know who should be friends? Terra and Naminé.  
Now, in this AU the concert conversation didn't happen, mostly because I didn't know about it. (Although that is what this chapter's title is referencing). So if I wanted to have Terra and Naminé be friends, I had to make it happen myself.  
Terra's struggles with having long hair are entirely auto-biographical; I haven't had a haircut since May of last year, this is the longest my hair has ever been, and although I love it, sometimes it gets in the way. Unfortunately I do not know how to braid it; though I do tie it back. If you're wondering where Naminé learned how to braid hair, think back to the first Adjustments; Lea taught her.  
I'm sure there will be speculation about the unrevealed drawing, so let me make it even more confusing: It's not a drawing of Lea and Isa. Have fun!  
I am 100% committed to making you all ship Naminé and Vanille. Like I've said in the past, we'll be seeing the cast of FFXIII again somewhere down the line. And that's all I'll say on that.  
I'm not sure why it occurred to me that Terra should like medieval fantasy books (also waaaay back in Adjustments), but I'm leaning into it. I think it makes sense for him to be the one who most wants to be a knight. Plus it gives him more things in common with Kairi, the other huge LOTR fan. He also strikes me as the kind of person who would pick up random shit and think "I can use this at some point". Hence the string. I've somehow contrived to make Terra simultaneously an old man and also a disaster young adult. Which I think is accurate. Somehow.  
I think that's everything! Until next time!


	3. Utility

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vanitas gets hugged.
> 
> That's it, that's the entire point of the chapter.

He needed to find a better place to hide than the balcony if he wanted privacy, obviously.

“Vanitas?”

He looked up from the book he was slogging through. Aqua had given it to him, saying he’d like it since a bunch of people died at the end. Thus far he thought the titular character was kind of a whiny bitch; although he was plotting murder, which was holding his interest, if tentatively.

Xion’s head was sticking through the balcony door. “What do you want?” he demanded.

To her credit in his eyes, she didn’t flinch. “You know that thing you do where you hide in shadows?”

“Yeah?” he asked, confused.

She took a deep breath. “Could you teach me how to do that?”

He stared at her. At one point in his life he would have responded with either “yes” or “no”, with “no” being the much more likely option. However, he’d come far enough along and spent enough time with people like Aqua, Ventus, and Sora that a third response occurred to him.

“Why?”

This time Xion seemed to pale. “Well… um… it would be really useful to know, right?”

“I don’t get as much use out of it as you might think,” Vanitas said, drily. “It’s not that useful in combat, and unless you’re planning on skulking around, I don’t see what you’d do with it. Besides, you’re all light and shit, right? I don’t know if that would even work.”

To his private irritation, he picked up on how Xion’s shoulders sagged. “…Okay, I’ll bite. Why was this important to you?” he asked, begrudgingly.

Xion bit her lip. “It’s… nothing.”

There was a part of Vanitas that desperately wanted to leave it at that, to take her at her word and go back to the monologue he’d been reading. However, he couldn’t silence that small part of him that knew without it being laid out that something was wrong here. It sounded like Roxas.

He sighed. “Sit down.”

“Huh?”

He glared at her. “I’m not asking again.”

Confused, Xion sat down on the balcony next to him.

He let the silence sit for a couple seconds before saying, “It’s obviously not nothing. Something is bothering you. What is it?”

“I..” Xion bit her lip again.

“If you’re going to tell me it’s none of my business, tough, I’m making it my business,” Vanitas said. “You look upset. I don’t like that, so spill.”

Xion sat in silence for a while before murmuring, “The more things I can do… the more useful I am.”

“What’s so great about being useful? Try being a roadblock instead. Make ‘em work for it,” Vanitas said, sarcastically.

“If I’m useful… I don’t have to worry about being sent away,” Xion said, so quietly that Vanitas had to strain to hear it.

“Who’s going to send you away?” he asked, puzzled. Xion didn’t answer him.

Something felt wrong about this. Vanitas, though he was loath to admit it, was well acquainted with fear. There was something in Xion’s tone that was making him afraid, though he didn’t know why. He wasn’t in any danger, there wasn’t any threat to his person being made, so why –

It hit him, suddenly, and his eyes widened. He wasn’t afraid for himself. He was afraid for _her_. Afraid that there was something more wrong with her than he could fix.

…And where was the damned urge to “fix” her coming from?!

“Let me rephrase,” he said. “Who’s going to send you away that Roxas isn’t going to immediately stab for trying?”

That, at least, got a chuckle out of her. “Nobody’s going to send me away,” she admitted. “But… I still feel like I have to be… good enough, to matter. To pass expectations.”

“Whose?” Vanitas asked, puzzled.

“No one’s,” said Xion. “But the worry is still there.” She looked up at him. “You don’t… know about me, do you?”

“Know what?”

“About what I am – what I _was_,” she corrected herself firmly.

“A ‘Nobody’ or whatever the fuck, right?”

“…No,” Xion said. “I was a Replica. I was created to be a copy of Sora.”

Vanitas looked at her. “…I can name at least three things they got wrong.”

“Fuck off,” Xion said, sighing. “I didn’t turn out the way they wanted. I absorbed Sora’s memories through Roxas, but at the same time, I was growing my own heart through hanging out with Roxas and Axel. Lea,” she clarified at the confused look on Vanitas’s face.

“Right. So what does that have to do with anything?” Vanitas asked. “You’re obviously your own person now.”

“…it’s a holdover from that time,” Xion said. “Back then, I was constantly judged to see if I could meet what they wanted from me. And… I couldn’t. They wanted Sora. So the more I was _me_ instead, the more…” she broke off, a tear running down her cheek.

“You didn’t measure up,” Vanitas said softly. He sighed. “And there was some kind of punishment involved if you didn’t, right?”

“Reduction into a Dusk,” Xion said, miserable. “Those things that attacked you and Roxas in the Twilight Town sewers.”

“Bastards,” Vanitas commented. “Well, nice to know I wasn’t a special case, th – Xehanort’s just a shit boss.”

“A special case?” Xion asked, confused.

Vanitas contemplated what he was about to do. There was something about Xion’s tear-streaked face that urged him to do it. Slowly, he rolled up his sleeve and showed her the scars running up his arm. “He was a fan of… encouraging me to do things the way he wanted.”

“Oh,” Xion said. Really, there wasn’t much else to say.

“I only existed so that I could fight Ventus and forge the χ–blade,” Vanitas said. “We both needed to be strong for that. He couldn’t control Ventus’s training, but he could control mine. And if I didn’t meet the measurements… well, cut to fit.”

“That’s horrible,” Xion said.

Vanitas shrugged. “So was what happened to you.”

“They can both be horrible,” Xion argued. She wiped her cheek. “…I kind of want to hug you now.”

“Hug? Why?” Vanitas asked, confused and also suspicious.

Xion blinked. “Because it… it makes you feel better to be in close contact with someone… wait. Have you… not been hugged since you got back?”

Vanitas shrugged. “Why would I want to be?”

Xion stared at him. “…You know what?” she said. “If you’ll let me, I’ll show you. Just give me thirty seconds.”

Vanitas stared back, nonplussed. “I don’t see the point in this.”

“You will, I promise. Please?” Xion said, holding her arms out.

Slowly, like a cat that suspected she was Up To Something, Vanitas reached out with his own arms, and leaned into Xion. “Thirty seconds,” he said.

“Thirty seconds,” Xion agreed, and hugged him.

Initially Vanitas wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do, so he simply mirrored her and tightened his arms around her in kind. For the first few seconds he just felt awkward, but slowly, he started to relax.

Xion was warm, and he slowly realized he could feel her heartbeat.

It was… nice.

There was a hitch in his breathing, and for reasons he didn’t completely understand, his eyes started to tear up.

“Shhh,” Xion soothed. “It’s okay.”

“Why the fuck am I crying?” he muttered into her shoulder.

“Dunno. How are you feeling?” she murmured in response.

“…fuck off,” he mumbled.

“It’s okay if you’re enjoying it,” she said. “You’re kind of supposed to.”

“Fuck. Off,” he muttered again.

She smiled and hugged him tighter, and he matched her.

After a while, Xion said, “It’s been the thirty seconds. I can let go now if you want me to.”

“…just a little longer?” Vanitas mumbled.

She beamed. “Sure.”

Eventually, Vanitas pulled back, and Xion let him go. “Well?” she asked, smirking.

He glared at her. “It was… nice,” he muttered.

She smiled, and he scoffed. “…It looks like you’re feeling better, so I guess it was worth it,” he said.

Xion’s smile broadened. “I do feel better. Thank you, Vanitas.”

“Whatever,” he muttered. He looked down at his hands, considering. “I guess… I could give it a shot.”

“Give what a shot?”

“Teaching you.” He held up a hand at the surprised look on Xion’s face. “I still don’t know if you’ll even be able to do it, so I’m not promising anything.”

“That’s perfectly fine! It’ll still be useful to me just to watch how you move,” she said, beaming.

Privately, Vanitas reflected that there was absolutely at least one part of her that was pure Sora, but he figured it was better not to mention it.

It was a smile that looked right on her face, regardless.

“Hey.”

Vanitas froze as Roxas leaned over the couch. As sundown had drawn closer he’d lost the light on the balcony and had moved to the common room.

“What do you want? I’m reading,” he demanded.

Roxas smirked. “I hear _someone’s_ been hugging my girlfriend.”

To his irritation, Vanitas flushed. “Yeah, what about it? She offered.”

“You’d never been hugged before, huh?” he said, climbing over the couch back to sit beside him.

Vanitas bristled. “No, I hadn’t. Do you have a point?”

Roxas shrugged. “Just happy for you, is all. Glad you’re letting people in closer.”

Vanitas buried his head in his book. With any luck, Roxas couldn’t see that the blushing had gotten deeper.

“And just wanted to say that if you ever get to the point where you need a hug again, you can always come to either of us,” Roxas added.

“Prove it.”

Roxas raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

Vanitas had sunk deeper into his seat, intensely grateful that no one else was in the room. As it was, Roxas’s smirk was deepening by the second. “Van, do you want a hug?” he said, teasing.

Vanitas sighed, and held out his arms. “Just get it over with.”

“Is that any way to ask a friend for a hug?” Roxas teased.

Vanitas’s eye narrowed. “Don’t push it, Roxas.”

“Yeah, yeah,” said Roxas, and hugged him.

Vanitas held onto him like he was a life preserver in the middle of an ocean. “Any time you need it,” Roxas promised.

“Fuck you,” Vanitas replied.

“I’ll take that as a ‘thank you’,” Roxas replied with a smile.

“…you do that,” Vanitas mumbled.

“You want me to let go?”

“…no.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's not much to say about this chapter, but I'm sure I'll find something to prattle about.  
The book Vanitas is reading in the beginning is _Hamlet_; his reading has gotten very advanced indeed. (At the point when this chapter was written, there was an issue with my phone and I had to read actual ebooks offline instead of browsing Ao3 on break at work. You know what's definitely in the public domain and therefore free? Books written around 1600.)  
The thing about needing thirty seconds for a hug to release serotonin in your brain is a bit of pop psychology that I wasn't able to verify as accurate through any sources I trust (or, indeed, the first page of google search results). But hey, whatever gives Vanitas a longer hug.  
Speaking of which, I should probably specify that Sora putting his arms around Vanitas to keep him on the motorcycle in Chiaroscuro doesn't count as a hug, due to the circumstances; I was very careful to make sure that this was the first one he got.  
In other news, I've been playing Pokémon Sword for eleven hours straight. So far, I'm liking what I see, although I'm a little annoyed that we've had changeable outfits for three generations now and we _still_ can't crossdress. I just want to be _pretty_.  
On a less happy note, next week's update might be a little early or late, depending, due to a death in my family. It wasn't sudden, we've been expecting it for a while now, but there's things to be done, and I'm likely to be out of the country and therefore away from my computer this coming weekend. I don't need condolences, this is nowhere near my first time going through something like this, but if you want to do something, tell someone you care about that you love them today. Or any day, really. It's never the wrong time to appreciate those you love.  
I apologize if I brought the mood down from the chapter. Next time, we'll check in with Xion and Vanitas again, and see how things are going.  
Until then, here's to trouble-free tomorrows, and may your sorrows all be small.


	4. Out Loud, Out Strong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vanitas and Xion start training together, and Ventus, Terra, and Aqua clear the air.

Vanitas had looked at the words “Lesson Plan” and had spent a couple minutes laughing.

The idea of having a schedule of how Xion should be progressing and what she should learn first seemed stupid to him when there was no guarantee that Xion could even replicate his technique. Instead, he’d decided to start with what she’d suggested: teaching her his fighting style.

“Doesn’t your arm hurt after a while, doing that?”

Vanitas turned and glared at Ventus, who was sitting to the side. They were doing this on the Tower’s grounds, and there were other people about. Sora and Roxas were a little ways away, discussing something that Vanitas couldn’t hear, and Aqua was off to the side with a book, likely the first time she’d read for pleasure in months. Naminé was sketching Donald and Goofy, who were holding poses for her, and Kairi and Lea were sparring, with Isa sitting to the side watching. Xion had said she didn’t mind the observers, but Vanitas could do without the peanut gallery. “Doesn’t your wrist hurt after a while from holding it upside-down, _Ventus_?”

Ven shrugged. “I’m just saying.”

“It’s not that bad,” Xion said. She was holding Oblivion over her head with her arm extended, matching Vanitas’s ready stance. “It’s a tradeoff between faster strikes that are less powerful.”

“That depends on how hard you hit,” Vanitas corrected. “And if you’re fast enough it doesn’t matter. Try it.”

Xion worked through the sequence he’d shown her. Vanitas was quietly shocked at how well she was able to do it after only seeing it once. He was going to say something about it, but some quiet impulse told him not to bring it up.

“Not bad!” Ventus said, equally impressed and much more comfortable with showing it.

Vanitas scoffed. “If you’re going to stand here anyway you might as well make yourself useful and be a training dummy.”

“What?” Ven asked. “Why?”

“Cause it’s better training, dummy,” Vanitas said, sarcastic. Xion stifled a giggle and Ven pouted.

“It would be easier if I actually had someone to spar with,” Xion said to him. “Please? If you don’t mind?”

“All right,” Ven said, and summoned his Keyblade, stepping into the demarcated training ring to join her.

Vanitas noticed Aqua’s eyes on them. He glared back at her and gestured ‘what?’. She shrugged. He gave her the finger. Her eyes narrowed and she looked back down at her book. Vanitas huffed.

There was something in Aqua’s gaze, something that he couldn’t be sure he was actually seeing and that he couldn’t put his finger on. It wasn’t the usual hatred, or the exasperation she saved for him as of late, or even any sort of loathing, really, although he was sure that was still there. Aqua had merely gotten better at hiding it recently.

Still, there had been that point prior to the return of Kairi’s group, when she’d thanked him. When they’d touched, she hadn’t seemed disgusted or put upon or anything, which was weird. Plus there was that odd sensation in his stomach that he just couldn’t define. It was bothering him.

With a half-sigh, half-growl, he put the thoughts out of his head. There was no point in chasing phantoms. Better to just ignore it and let things be; although the less predictable Aqua got, the more Vanitas felt confused, like his world had been turned on its head. Though that shouldn’t be coming as a surprise either, not with how many other things he’d needed to change his views on.

And she’d never looked at him that way before.

He shook himself, and looked over at Xion and Ventus. “Ready to try again?”

She nodded. “When you are.”

Ven gave a thumbs up, and they began.

Several minutes and several more not-surreptitious-at-all looks from Aqua later, Ven and Xion stepped back, both panting. Vanitas passed Xion a water bottle and threw another at Ven’s head. “You’re pretty good!” Ven told Xion, snatching the bottle out of the air and grinning.

“Thanks!” she said, beaming.

Vanitas, caught between two dental sunrises, rolled his eyes. “It was… done well,” he muttered, and both of them turned up the wattage. “Okay, stop fucking _smiling_.”

“You know what you should teach her?” Ven asked. “That thing where you disappear and leave an afterimage behind. That was always _super_ annoying.”

“You mean terrifying,” Vanitas corrected.

“I mean annoying,” Ven repeated, grinning.

“Stop that.”

“How does it work?” Xion interrupted, interested.

Vanitas shrugged. “Careful use of a Vanish spell and a Decoy spell.”

Xion frowned. “Vanish I’ve heard of, but what’s ‘Decoy’?”

“That’s where we’ll start, then,” Vanitas said in response. “Stop smiling,” he added, turning to Ven.

Ven did, but not because of Vanitas’s words.

He stopped smiling because Terra had walked out of the Tower, going over to sit down by Aqua. He glanced over in their direction and raised a hand. Ven, rather than respond in kind, turned away.

Vanitas watched Terra lower his hand and sigh. He rolled his eyes and turned back as well. Ventus was still mad at him, obviously. But it wasn’t Vanitas’s business.

“You should talk to him.”

It wasn’t Xion’s either, but that wasn’t stopping her.

“He knows what he did. And he apologized,” Ven said, shortly.

“And you’re still pissed,” Vanitas pointed out before he could stop himself.

That earned him a very Roxas-like glare. “I don’t wanna hear that from _you_ of all people.”

“Well, shit, Ventus, maybe if me of all people is saying it, it’s really fucking serious,” Vanitas said, sarcastically.

“It’s not like you’re not allowed to still be mad at him,” Xion said. “But you can’t stay angry forever. Not talking about things was the problem, right? How’re you gonna solve that by doing the same thing?”

Ven pouted. “Stop being reasonable.”

“Nope!” Xion said, smiling at him. Vanitas huffed.

“Yeah, go have a heart-to-heart, we’ve got work to do,” he said.

“…fine,” Ventus said, and walked away.

“Good, that’s got him out of our hair,” Vanitas drawled. “What?” he added, annoyed at the smirk on Xion’s face.

“Look at you. Caring about Ven and his friends,” she teased.

“Go fuck yourself,” Vanitas snapped.

Xion shrugged. “That’s what I have Roxas for.”

“Hey. New book?” Terra asked Aqua, sitting down beside her.

“New to me. It’s funny, you get trapped in the Realm of Darkness for a decade and there’s four new books in your favourite series waiting for you when you get back,” Aqua said, smiling. “Honestly I thought the eighth one was the last one, but here we are.”

“Some small consolations, huh?” Terra asked, matching her smile. He looked over at Ventus, Vanitas, and Xion and raised a hand in greeting. Ven didn’t respond, merely turning away. Terra lowered his hand, a bit hurt, but understanding why.

“He won’t be mad forever,” Aqua said, softly.

“I know,” Terra said. “But it’s my fault he’s mad at all.”

Aqua sighed, not able to truthfully refute that.

There seemed to be a bit of a discussion going over with the three in the training ring, which culminated in Ventus walking over towards Aqua and Terra.

“We need to talk,” he said, upon closing the distance.

Aqua put her book down, and Terra scooted over so Ven could sit between them. They both waited patiently for him to start.

“…A while back, Aqua tried to take on every aspect of rescuing you herself,” Ven said. His tone was quiet, but clear. There was an edge in his voice, and neither of them interrupted him. “Back then, I asked her to stop treating me like a little kid. To acknowledge that I’ve been in the thick of it just as much as anyone else here has.”

“I see,” Terra said, carefully.

“I don’t like being treated like I’m less capable than other people,” Ven continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “So, Terra, when you lie to me, even if it’s so I won’t worry… I don’t like it. It makes me angry.”

“I’m sorry, Ven,” Terra said. He’d said it before, but he would say it again as many times as it took.

“I know you are,” Ven said. “I’m still mad.” He leaned back and sighed. “I get it. I know you two feel like you have to protect me, ‘cause I’m the youngest. But… you can’t do that forever. You can’t send me home, you can’t take on all the responsibility… and you can’t _lie_ to me about what’s going on.”

“If I can interject,” Aqua said, softly, and Ven motioned for her to continue. “Before we woke you up, Ven…I had to unlearn that, as well, with Kairi and Naminé. That I couldn’t shoulder everything alone, and that being older than them didn’t mean I had to… I suppose ‘shelter’ them, is the word, from what was going on… and how I was feeling.”

“Exactly,” Ven agreed. “Terra, I’m twenty-six years old. Probably. All I want is for you to rely on me. To trust me. The same way I’ve been able to trust and rely on you.”

Terra pondered this, and gently reached out and put a hand on Ven’s shoulder. “All right. I don’t want to claim it’s not going to be a rough transition, but I promise I will make the effort.”

Slowly, Ven nodded. “Okay.” He closed his eyes, and sighed. “I’m probably still going to be mad at you for a bit, though. Sorry.”

“That’s fine,” Terra said, patting his shoulder. “I shouldn’t have lied to you.”

“No, you shouldn’t’ve,” Ven agreed, but leaned in and hugged him.

Terra smiled, and they both held out an arm to Aqua, who gladly joined the hug.

“Awww, that’s cute!”

They looked up to see Sora beaming at them. Roxas, slightly behind him, was downing a bottle of water.

“Thanks!” Ven said with complete sincerity. Across the grounds, Vanitas suddenly got the urge to punch him, but dismissed it like usual.

“What have you two been up to?” Terra asked, noting with minor concern that Roxas was still chugging the water bottle.

“I picked up some new songs in Beast’s Ca – uh, in the Castle of Roses, it’s called now,” Sora said. “I was teaching Roxas!”

“And for not being a great vocalist, you’re not a bad coach,” Roxas said, having drained the water completely.

“You can sing?” Terra asked, incredulous. “Huh. Ven can’t.”

“Terra!” Ven groaned. “Not you, too!”

“Sorry, Ven, but… you _really_ can’t sing,” Terra said, apologetic.

“See? I told you,” Aqua said, a mischievous smirk on her face.

Ven pouted. “So what if I can’t sing? Neither of you can.”

“Oh, that’s not true,” Terra said before Aqua could stop him.

“Huh?”

“Aqua can sing,” Terra continued, ignoring the daggers that Aqua was glaring at him.

“Really?” Sora asked, excited. “That’s awesome, Aqua!”

“Now I’m curious,” Roxas said, matching the smirk that was making its way across Terra’s face. “Mind giving us an example?”

Aqua flushed. “Look, most of the music I like isn’t really suited for a solo vocal performance–”

“What about the lounge numbers?” Terra interrupted, innocently.

“The what?” Ven asked as Aqua started glaring at Terra again.

“Right, this would have been before you started living with us. Well, when she was fourteen, Aqua happened upon a set of old records in the attic; lots of old, jazzy, lounge singing. Classic stuff. And she started learning the songs,” Terra said, grinning. “One of those would work, right?”

Aqua bit her lip, fuming. “Terra–”

“Come on, Aqua! Please?” Sora asked, pouting a bit.

“You could keep your eyes closed, pretend we’re not here,” Roxas offered, still smirking.

Aqua looked at Sora’s pout and reddened again. “Fine. One song.”

“Yay!” Sora cheered, and Roxas, Ven, and Terra grinned.

Aqua stood up. “There should be a backing band for this, so it might sound a little odd, but you asked for it.” She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

_Here’s to those who love not wisely,_

_No, not wisely,_

_But too well_

_To the girl who sighs with envy_

_When she hears that wedding bell,_

_To the guy who’d throw a party_

_If he knew someone to call_

_Here’s to the losers; bless ‘em all!_

As she started, Roxas started to clap to the beat, joined by Terra, who knew the song already, and Ven and Sora, who didn’t but did their best. Slowly, the tension drained out of her face, and she started to smile and sway to the beat.

_Here’s to those who drink their dinners_

_When that lady doesn’t show,_

_To the girl who’ll wait for kisses_

_Underneath that mistletoe,_

_To the lonely summer lovers_

_When the leaves begin to fall,_

_Here’s to the losers; bless ‘em all!_

Smiling broadly now, Aqua sat back down on the bench, eyes still closed, and wrapped an arm each around Ven and Terra.

_Hey, Tom, Dick, and Harry,_

_Come in out of the rain!_

_Those torches you carry_

_Must be drowned in champagne!_

She stood back up, now practically dancing, and turned towards where she remembered Sora standing, lifting an imaginary wine glass.

_Here’s the last toast of the evening: here’s to those who still believe,_

_All the losers will be winners_

_All the givers shall receive,_

_Here’s to trouble-free tomorrows_

_May your sorrows all be small,_

_Here’s to the losers!_

_Here’s to the losers!_

_Here’s to the losers!_

_Bless ‘em all!_

A much louder applause than she was expecting jolted Aqua’s eyes open. While she’d been singing, everyone else in the yard had gathered around. Even Riku and Mickey, who had been in the Tower when she’d started, were now standing before her.

“Aqua, that was fantastic!” Ven exclaimed.

“Magnificent,” Riku added, smirking.

“Stupendous!” Kairi added.

“It didn’t suck,” Vanitas muttered, not looking at her.

“High praise indeed,” Aqua said, shaking her head at him.

He huffed. “And what’s with calling us all losers? Really fucking inspiring, Aqua.”

“Got a problem with it, loser?” Ven teased.

Vanitas glared at him. “Fuck off, weakling.”

“I don’t necessarily think it should be read as a bad thing,” Aqua said. “There were two records with that song on it. On one of them – the original, I think – the singer sounded kind of… sneering, almost? Haughty? Condescending. But on the other… the singer sounded more like he was considering himself as one of the titular “losers”. Like it was a for a group celebration when people were feeling down. ‘Here’s to trouble-free tomorrows, may your sorrows all be small’… I like that sentiment. There’s always a silver lining, always a way.” She shook herself, embarrassed to find herself lecturing without meaning to. “A-anyway, when did you all come out here?”

“Well, when someone’s singing their little heart out, it’s only polite to listen,” Lea teased.

Aqua rolled her eyes. “Seriously, though, that was really good, Aqua,” Naminé said. There was general rumble of agreement through the crowd.

She flushed. “Thank you, everyone. I’m not doing it again.”

“Awwww!”

There was a collective groan, and Terra and Ven both laughed. They caught each other’s eye, and smiled.

Things would be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, it wouldn't be an Adjustments fic without a musical number, right? But we'll get to that.  
This chapter was originally envisioned as being a plot-light chapter in the same vein as Lazy Afternoon; there were things that I wanted to have happen that I can't identify yet. And then Terra decided to lie to Ven and all of a sudden this chapter had a purpose.   
I haven't had them refer to each other in this manner yet, but I do adore Ven and Van as brothers. That includes things like heckling, getting in the way, minor physical violence, and calling each other out when they're being a shit. Even if Vanitas needs a little prodding from Xion to get started.  
Let me tell you it was _fun_ trawling through the Final Fantasy wiki trying to figure out if there were any spells that could make Vanitas's vanishing act possible. I think I came up with something plausible, even if I haven't played the game the "Decoy" spell is from. (and on that note, I haven't started FFX yet. I'm waiting until things in my life change around a little bit. Also I've played three Final Fantasy games this year already. I need some variation in my JRPGs; which is why I've since played Dragon Quest 1, I am Setsuna, and of course Pokémon)  
Like I said, the Terra and Ven stuff wasn't exactly planned, which is why it's more of a minor rehash of the Ven and Aqua stuff from earlier. Terra's a quick learner, and now that he knows it's an issue, it won't be anymore.   
The song Sora was teaching Roxas will be elucidated at another time. On to Aqua.   
I _definitely_ didn't have an album of lounge music stuck in my head while writing this. _Absolutely_ not. [But here's the song Aqua was singing, anyway](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Brm1i3XwMdw). "Here's To The Losers" is technically a Frank Sinatra song (and that's the version Aqua wasn't too fond of), but the version she and I both prefer (and that I linked) is by James Darren, an actor who's also not a half bad singer. I'm more familiar with this version because Darren played a minor reoccurring character on Star Trek: DS9, a holographic lounge singer named Vic Fontaine. I'm sure you're all shocked to discover that I know about something because of Star Trek. ;) I also may have messed with the lyrics just a tiny bit (The second line is supposed to be "know not wisely", but I think "no, not wisely" is better) and of course I didn't repeat the last two verses. There's only so much choreography to go through, after all. ;)  
I believe that's about everything! Next week comes the chapter that was originally supposed to be in Re:Adjustments, that I moved to here instead <strike>to get that fic out quicker</strike>. That said, I'm glad I waited. You could say this version... flows better?   
Until next time!


	5. Flow State

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sora and Riku hold a Flowmotion class in Twilight Town

Sora stretched and looked out over the roofs of Twilight Town. “All right,” he said, turning to the people who had assembled behind him. “I bet you’re all wondering why Riku and I called you all out here today!”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Vanitas demanded. “You brought us out here to teach us that Flowmotion thingy. We established this before we left. What the fuck?”

Sora shrugged. “I just wanted to try saying it once.”

“Uh-huh,” Vanitas said, acerbic.

“Hey, lay off,” Kairi admonished. She, along with Sora, Vanitas, Riku, Lea, Roxas, Xion, Ven, and Aqua were standing on an open roof over the courtyard where the Struggle competitions were usually held. Naminé, Terra, and Mickey had all declined the offer to learn Flowmotion, Terra and Naminé both feeling they had enough to work with already, and Mickey having vanished yet again before they could ask him.

“Okay, so, how to explain this,” Sora mused, tapping his chin in contemplation. “Flowmotion is a way of moving, where you can bounce off of walls and stuff. There’s this aura that surrounds you, and as long as you have it, you can propel yourself through the air.”

“Sora, not for nothing, but this really isn’t helping explain,” said Lea.

Sora pouted. “Hey! I’m trying my best!”

“Maybe we should just show them an example,” Riku put in. “Race around the roofs?”

Sora brightened. “Great idea, Riku! First one back gets to kiss Kairi!”

“Wait, but–”

“You’re on!” Riku said, grinning at him, and both of them stepped off of the roof.

“I’d kiss both of you, you bums!” Kairi shouted after them as they burst back into sight, both shrouded in the magenta aura of Flowmotion.

Roxas shrugged. “What’s a race if there’re no stakes?”

Kairi sighed, and watched as Sora and Riku made a circuit around the rooftops. “They’re fast,” Ven said, approving.

“It’s probably an application of magic,” Aqua mused as Sora hooked his Keyblade around a lamppost and used it to slingshot himself ahead of Riku. “Exuding it all over your body instead of channeling it into a spell. Tricky.”

Ven looked over at her. “Didn’t you already figure out how to do it?”

“Only a little. I couldn’t do things like that,” Aqua said as Riku scaled the side of a taller building without losing speed.

“It looks fun!” Xion said, grinning.

Sora and Riku crashed down on the starting roof, Riku making a perfectly balanced landing, and Sora wobbling a bit, off balance. “So?” he asked.

“So?” Vanitas echoed.

“Who won?!” Sora specified.

“Looked like a tie to me,” Lea said, smirking.

“Aw!”

“Calm down, dork,” Kairi said. “You tied, means you both won.” She pulled Riku down to her level and kissed him, then did the same to Sora.

“I feel like a winner,” Riku said, smirking at Sora, who grinned right back.

“All right, get on with it,” Vanitas said, clapping his hands to get their attention. “So what do _we_ do to do that?”

“Aqua was saying something about exuding magic?” Roxas said.

Riku nodded. “Kind of. It didn’t get explained to either of us very well, since we were in dreams in the Sleeping Realms. I didn’t think we’d still be able to do it once we woke up, but here we are.”

“The magic’s kind of like a barrier?” Sora said. “It absorbs impacts and pushes us in the opposite direction.”

“I see,” Aqua mused. “And you can just do it whenever?”

“We have to build up a bit of speed first,” Riku said. “Then the magic takes over, and it continues as long as we have momentum. If we lose that, we lose the aura, and we have to build up speed again to get back into it.”

“It’s not a lot of speed, though, just rushing forwards or rolling is usually enough,” Sora offered.

“So it’s practically speaking a different way of using magic,” Aqua said, intrigued. “Fascinating.”

“So, what, we should jump off the roof until we get it?” Kairi asked.

“Absolutely not,” Riku said, grabbing the back of her hood.

She snickered. “Relax, I wasn’t gonna.”

“I can never be sure with you two,” he muttered. “The best way to do it would be to start with rail grinding. We can make a path of ice along the ground and you can slide on it. That’s less dangerous than jumping off the roof.”

“I dunno, jumping off tall buildings can be real fun,” Lea teased.

Riku rolled his eyes. “When we’re sure that you aren’t going to hurt yourselves.”

Vanitas scoffed. “And since when has any one of us gotten hurt from falling off a building?” he muttered to himself.

“Hey, Naminé!”

Naminé jerked up from her drawing, startled, but it was just Hayner, Pence, Olette, and another girl with hot pink hair and blonde highlights. She blanked for a second before remembering Lenna, the girl from the café that Hayner had a crush on.

She slowly smiled as she realized that Hayner was holding her hand, and that Pence and Olette were similarly connected. “Hey guys! How’re things going?” she asked, a teasing note in her voice.

“Very well!” Pence said, winking. Olette rolled her eyes, but grinned just as widely as he was. Hayner, for his part, had reddened considerably, but hadn’t let go of Lenna’s hand. “What are you up to?”

“Sora and Roxas are trying to teach people this technique called ‘Flowmotion’,” Naminé said, gesturing towards the roof. “I didn’t think it was something I’d be suited for, so I’m just watching with the others.”

“The others?” Olette asked.

It was at that moment that Terra walked back from the ice cream stand. “Do you have any idea why they thought I wanted sea-salt flavour?” he asked Naminé, confused. “Oh, hello.”

His sudden appearance wasn’t taken well. Hayner stepped in front of Lenna, and Pence and Olette froze. “Naminé, isn’t this - ?!”

“This,” Naminé said, pointedly, “is Terra. He’s Ven and Aqua’s friend that they were missing. Yes, he looks like Xemnas. It’s a long story, but they _are_ different people.”

“Oh… okay,” Hayner said, and the three relaxed. Lenna looked completely lost. “It’s a… long story. And we don’t know all of it either.”

“Is it now?” she said, amused.

Terra sat down and patted the grass next to him. “Well, we’ll do our best to fill in the gaps if you join us. We’re expecting one more person –”

The smell of popcorn heralded Isa’s arrival. “…Hello,” he said, cautiously.

“Hey, Isa,” Terra said. “These are Naminé’s friends, who she hasn’t introduced yet?” He grinned at Naminé and she blushed.

Introductions were made, although there was some awkwardness upon the reveal that Hayner, Pence, and Olette were _Roxas’s_ friends. It wasn’t that Isa held that against them or anything; it was just a bit jarring to realize Roxas had more friends that he did.

“What’s the popcorn for?” Pence asked, confused.

Isa smirked. “They’re trying to learn a new movement technique from on top of a building.”

“Yeah?”

“So Lea’s probably going to fall flat on his face, and it’s going to be _hilarious_,” Naminé said, matching the smirk.

“Hey.”

Vanitas looked up at Aqua. “What do you want?” It had been a couple of hours, and everyone had mastered the rail glide, and in effect the necessary magic manipulation to generate the Flowmotion aura; though not without the occasional faceplant. Now, they were about to start the real thing. Sora had picked the top of the clocktower as the goal, despite Riku’s reservations, and they were just about to start.

Aqua leaned back, resting her weight on her back foot. “I bet I can get there before you do,” she said, with a pointed smile.

Vanitas’s eyes widened. He didn’t know how to respond to this, so he defaulted to what was familiar. “Fuck off, no you can’t,” he challenged.

Aqua’s smile grew wider. “Prove it.”

Unconciously, Vanitas started smiling back. It was the smile of a predator that had spotted prey.

“Everyone ready?” Riku asked. “Remember, it’s not a race. The point is to get there safely.”

“Got it, Riku!” said Kairi, who, like everyone else, was definitely going to treat this as a race.

“I already regret this,” Riku muttered.

“On your marks!” Sora said, excited. “Get set! …_Go!_”

The students rocketed away from them, and Riku sighed. “Is it too much to hope that they won’t hurt themselves?”

“Nah, of course not!” Sora said. “You just gotta trust them, Riku!” He smiled. “It’s like a mommy bird sending a baby out of the nest the first time, huh?”

“A little bit,” Riku agreed. He sighed, and smiled. “Least we can do is be there to catch them if they fall, huh?”

“You know it!” Sora said. He and Riku ran to the edge, following the others in the direction of the clocktower.

“And they’re off,” Terra said. “We might want to move to the roof if we want to keep them in view.”

“Looks like they’re heading for the clocktower,” Olette said. “I know where we can get a good view from.”

Hayner dug his hand into Isa’s popcorn. “I hope none of them wipes out until we can see it.”

“You mean, ‘not at all’, right?” Pence asked, smirking.

“Sure,” Hayner said, in a manner that wasn’t convincing at all. Lenna caught Naminé’s eye and both girls stifled a chuckle.

Vanitas’s pulse pounded in his ears as he hopped over the rooftops and across the streets far below. This was fun. He hadn’t had a solid definition of the term before, no concrete example to think of, but now he did. He was having _fun_.

His foot shot out, and he rebounded off the side of the building. His Flowmotion aura had ended up much redder than Sora and Riku’s, but there didn’t seem to be much of a difference.

A blue blur rushed into sight ahead of him. “What’s wrong?” Aqua taunted, smirking. “You’re going so _slowly_.” Her aura, on the other hand, had wound up being much bluer, but somehow that wasn’t surprising.

Vanitas hissed in response and caught a utility pole with his Keyblade, flipping himself around it and rocketing away. Despite the taunting, he was grinning, and still having fun. Aqua even seemed to be enjoying herself for once. “That better?” he sniped back, looking back for her.

He didn’t see her. “A _bit_,” she called, smug, “but not _much_.”

He jerked his attention forwards again to see that Aqua was still ahead of him. “Bitch,” he called.

To his surprise, she just laughed, and forged ahead. Vanitas watched the way her skirts trailed behind her for a second, then shook himself and chased after her.

“Shit!”

Xion felt the roof tiles slid under her foot, and instead of leaping forwards as she’d intended, she tumbled down towards the street below.

Unable to right herself in midair, she closed her eyes and braced herself for the impact–

That came from the side, instead of below. Xion opened her eyes to see that Roxas had grabbed her out of the air. Together, they slammed down onto the street, Roxas landing on his feet.

“Xion! Are you okay?!” he asked, worry in his tone.

“Roxas…” she said, “…I still had the aura up.”

“Huh?”

“I was still in the Flowmotion. I would’ve landed fine,” she explained, trying not to laugh. He’d been worried, it wouldn’t be nice to make fun of him.

“…Oh,” Roxas said, and reddened.

Xion smiled, and reached up to cup his face and kiss his cheek. “My hero.”

“Shush,” Roxas mumbled. He sighed. “Well, I think we’re out of the race.”

“It wasn’t a race,” Xion said, giggling.

“It was, too,” Roxas said, finally smiling. “Do I look like I give a shit what Riku says?”

“Of course you don’t,” Xion said, smirking. “…You gonna put me down now?”

Roxas hefted her and she squeaked. “Maybe I like holding you?”

“Mmmm,” Xion said, and kissed him again, this time on the lips. “We still have to get to the clocktower.”

“In a minute,” Roxas said, and kissed her again.

“Stop being gross!” Kairi called from the roof overhead.

“Make us!” Roxas called back.

“I can’t, you’re too cute together!” Kairi replied.

“Damn straight!” Xion called, and kissed Roxas again.

Kairi laughed, and continued on.

The goal was in sight.

Vanitas strained. Riku and Sora hadn’t mentioned that using Flowmotion to ascend a vertical surface was… not _hard_, exactly, just _tedious_. It wasn’t something that could be done quickly.

The worst part was that Aqua was neck and neck with him. If he lost this because she was _taller_ than he was…

Both strained for the points of the clocktower’s spires. Both lunged for the final distance. Both closed a hand around the tip.

“Finally. What took you two so long?”

Both swiveled to look at Lea, leaning against the other spire.

“Are you _shitting_ me?” Vanitas demanded.

“How?” Aqua echoed his tone. “How did you get here so fast?”

Lea shrugged. “Longer limbs?”

Kairi and Ven were the next to arrive. “Did Lea cheat?” Kairi teased.

Lea put a hand over his heart. “‘Cheat’? Kairi, you _wound_ me. Do I look like the sort of person who would _cheat_ in a _race_?”

“Yes,” Ven interrupted, smirking. “But did you?”

“No, he didn’t” Riku said, as he and Sora joined them. “We watched. He was just faster than everyone else.”

“It’s funny, but not stopping to taunt other people kind of helped with that!” Sora said, grinning at Aqua and Vanitas.

“Whatever,” Vanitas scoffed.

Aqua, at least, had the decency to look embarrassed. “A fair point,” she conceded. “…I still won, though,” she added, smirking at Vanitas.

“You did not!” he snapped, but for once there was no anger in it. “We _both_ lost!”

“I seem to recall that I said I’d _get here first_,” Aqua said, smug. “And I did.”

“You did not!”

“Children!” Ven said, clapping his hands. “Play nice.”

Vanitas scoffed, and Aqua laughed. “At the very least, I had fun,” she said.

“…Yeah, I did, too,” Vanitas admitted, quietly.

She smiled at him. It wasn’t a smirk, or a sneer, but a genuine smile. “I’m glad.”

His eyes widened, and unbidden, a light flush came to his cheeks. “Whatever.”

“Aw, you shouldn’t have,” Lea teased as Isa placed a paper crown on his head.

“I didn’t,” Isa said. “It was Naminé’s idea. Terra agreed, and everyone else backed them up.”

“You didn’t think I deserved a crown for winning?” Lea said, pouting.

Isa arched an eyebrow. “It wasn’t a race.”

“Yeah, okay, sure,” Lea scoffed, laughing.

“That said,” Isa continued, “my complaint was that it wouldn’t fit over your hair. You’re too much like a hedgehog.”

“What, fast?”

“No, inclined to hibernate.”

“Hey!”

They’d rejoined their friends after carefully climbing down the clocktower, and had made introductions between the Twilight Town natives and Vanitas. Sora and Riku had judged everyone’s progress as satisfactory for now, with urges to keep practicing from Sora and a stern warning not to hurt themselves doing something stupid from Riku.

Aqua approached Terra. “You sure you didn’t want to learn this?” she asked. “It’s surprisingly fun.”

Terra shook his head. “I think I have enough to work with for now. Maybe some time later.” He frowned, realizing something. “Oh, that’s right.”

“What’s up?” Aqua asked.

“I just realized that I have something to teach you all, too.”

“Really?”

Terra nodded, smiling. “I’ve been calling them “Formchanges”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the original plan for this chapter was for it to come between Anti and Happy Returns in Re:Adjustments, with Chiaroscuro (the whole thing) following Happy Returns as the last chapter. You can probably see why that last one was changed to its own fic. Flow State, on the other hand, was moved really mostly because I just wanted to be done with Re:Adjustments, and there was no reason for it not to come here. And I'm glad it did; it wouldn't have been the same without the peanut gallery, or without the growth Vanitas has had between Re:Adjustments and Adjustments Final Mix.  
Aside from that, I think the chapter's pretty self-explanatory. Like I said, there's gonna be a few chapters that are mostly "the gang learns/gets new stuff". Ideally I can keep that entertaining (I certainly had fun writing this one!)  
I have a slight update on the NortFight: I have three chapters done, and know for a fact the whole thing will be 20 chapters total. This was not intentional, it just turned out that way, but I find it deliciously fun. (13 Seekers + 7 Guardians = 20 chapters).  
I think that's it, as always if you want me to talk more about something, feel free to ask! Until next time!


	6. La Même Chose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Terra gives the rest of the Guardians of Light instruction on Keyblade Formchanges.

Terra had planned to begin teaching Keyblade Formchanges the very next day, but these plans were pushed back a bit on account of everyone who had participated in the Flowmotion class waking up with sore muscles. After a day of rest and recuperation, he’d gathered them outside the Tower for an introduction.

“So, I didn’t invent this technique, I’m pretty sure,” he said. “It’s similar to how Aqua, Ven, and I create our gliders, so I can’t imagine that I’m the first person to think of this. That said, it did take a lot of practice and consideration to achieve the Formchanges I can do; so I’m not expecting any of you to be able to do more than one before Xehanort comes knocking.”

Aqua raised her hand. “Aqua, we’ve been over this,” Terra said, letting a note of tiredness leech into his voice.

She smirked. “Right, right. Anyway, you say it’s like summoning a glider? How similar?”

“Not exactly the same,” Terra conceded.

“That’s good, though, since we don’t all have gliders,” Kairi said.

Terra nodded. “Have any of you ever thought through the actual process of summoning your Keyblade? After the first time, I mean. Speaking for myself, I tend to focus on what the Keyblade should look like.”

“We have to, in order to make sure we get the one we want if we have more than one,” Aqua agreed.

“Exactly. Although I don’t think any of you have experience with that, either,” Terra said to the rest of the group.

He was met with a predictable mass shaking of the head. “Then let’s start with that,” he said. “Just be _aware_ of your Keyblade as you summon it.”

“This is bullshit,” Vanitas murmured to Roxas.

Roxas shrugged. “I think it’s just walking before running again. Build up the skill before we try using it.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Vanitas muttered. “Is _anyone_ who tries to teach _any _of us something actually going to know what they’re doing, ever?”

“Didn’t you?” Roxas asked, smirking.

Vanitas glared at him and grumbled inaudibly to himself as they set to work.

After a while Terra called a halt. “All right. I think you’ve all got the idea. Next, what I want you to do is–”

“Focus on what we want to make instead of our Keyblade?” Sora interrupted, excited. “Like this?”

He held up a pair of yo-yos that matched the colour scheme of the Kingdom Key.

“…yeah,” Terra said, eyes widening. “How did you–?”

“I’ve actually been trying to figure out how to do this since we fought in the Keyblade Graveyard that one time,” Sora admitted. “I couldn’t figure out how you were doing it, but I knew what I wanted to change my Keyblade into.”

“Yo-yos?” Lea asked, confused. “Can you really use those as a weapon?”

Riku stepped forwards, a deadpan expression on his face, and lifted the back of his shirt to show Lea a very old, very small scar. “Yes. He can.”

“It wouldn’t be the weirdest weapon someone’s ever fought with,” Xion said. She nudged Roxas. “Remember the umbrellas?”

Roxas chuckled. “Oh, yeah…”

Lea stared at them for a second, then shrugged. “All right, whatever. What’s next, teach?” he asked, addressing Terra.

“Next, you do what Sora did: instead of your Keyblade, focus on what you want it to become instead,” he said. “Sora, now that you’ve got a form down, I want you to practice using it.”

“Got it!” Sora said, happily, and went off to practice on one of the training dummies.

“What should we be trying for in terms of weapons?” Kairi asked. “Anything in particular?”

Terra cocked his head. “It might be best to try for something familiar; I know some of you have experience with weapons that aren’t Keyblades. Honestly, though? Just… do what feels right. Let your heart decide.”

“Splendid,” Vanitas muttered.

Lea pursed his lips. “You know, that’s a good idea.” He concentrated, and his Keyblade morphed into a familiar shape.

“Really?” Roxas teased.

Lea shrugged, spinning one chakram around his finger while hefting the other one over his shoulder. “Hey, he said ‘familiar’. I’ve been through a lot with weapons like these, got it memorized?”

Terra smiled. “Sounds good. I’d take it you don’t need to practice with them that much, then?”

Lea shrugged. “Actually, I’m a bit rusty. Been using a Keyblade for a bit, you know. Let’s see how Sora’s toys hold up.” He ambled over to Sora and the two moved to one of the sparring rings.

“Right, well, just like that,” Terra said, proudly. “If you don’t have another weapon you’ve used in the past, try something that feels right.”

“This is _bullshit_,” Vanitas murmured again.

Roxas looked at him, and took a deep breath. He summoned his Keyblade, but as the glow started in his right hand, he brought his hands together. Slowly, he brought his hands apart, and instead of his Keyblade, a pair of short swords formed in his hands. They were perfect mirrors of each other, two halves of a matched set. One was golden, the other white.

He looked at Vanitas and grinned. “You sure about that?”

Kairi stared at her Keyblade, at a loss for what to make it. “Need advice?” Riku said, leaning in towards her.

“A little bit,” she admitted. “I have no idea what to do. Maybe if I’d been able to play with toy weapons back when we were little kids…”

Riku looked down, and she patted his shoulder. “I’m just teasing. How’s yours coming?”

“Well,” Riku said, “It’s swords that I know best, but that’s practically the same as a Keyblade. Then, I was thinking about the way I took on attributes from my Dream Eaters in the Realm of Sleep, and how interesting it would be to have claws again.”  
“That would be interesting,” Kairi said, in a tone too innocent to actually be innocent. Riku shot her a tired look. “Sorry. You were saying?”

Still suspicious, Riku continued. “So, I was sort of thinking about both of those things, and they kind of got… jumbled?” He summoned his Keyblade.

A black gauntlet covered his hand and forearm. From the back of his palm to halfway down his arm, silver blades gleamed. The gauntlet was clenched in a fist, and from the business end of it extended an additional silver blade, almost as long as his Keyblade had started as, though much thinner.

“Wow!” Kairi said, beaming. “…what is it?”

“I asked Terra, and he said it was called a ‘pata’. I’ve… kind of just been calling it a gauntlet sword, though,” Riku admitted.

Kairi chuckled. “Still, though, congrats.” She sighed.

“What have you been thinking about?” Riku prompted.

Kairi shrugged. “I dunno. Like you said, a Keyblade’s already basically a sword, I don’t think I’d like the distance you’d have to have to be a bow, and I don’t see myself with an axe.”

“You sure?” Riku asked. “Don’t wanna bring swift vengeance down on the heads of the people who’ve wronged those you care about?”

Kairi stuck out her tongue at him. “I can defend your honour with a Keyblade. If I’m focusing on one thing to master first, I want it to be something I can’t do with a Keyblade.”

“Well, what is it you want to do?” Riku asked.

Kairi blew her bangs out of her eyes. “I want to protect you all. I want to be there, in the front lines, with all of you, and stop the bad shit from getting to you.”

“…Sounds like you want a shield to me,” Riku said.

Kairi frowned. “What can you do with a shield?”

“Don’t disrespect Goofy like that,” Riku said sternly.

Kairi giggled. “All right, all right, fair enough.” She closed her eyes, and thought shieldy thoughts.

As her Keyblade formed, it swirled around her arm, eventually forming a round targe shield large enough to cover her torso. It had concentric rings alternating the golds and reds from Destiny’s Embrace. At the centre was a golden paopu fruit.

Riku clapped. Kairi nudged him with the elbow that wasn’t holding the shield. “Congrats,” he said, still smiling.

“Thanks,” she said, marveling at it. “I wonder if Goofy would be willing to show me some techniques?”

“Why is it things for poking people with?” Vanitas asked.

Ven shrugged. “You can do more with a spear than just poke people.” He hefted the spear that was slung over his shoulder, formerly his Keyblade. Vanitas couldn’t wait to see how Ventus would hold it backhand.

He had faith that he’d find a way.

“Okay, but what about Aqua?” he asked, jerking his thumb at her over his shoulder. “That’s for poking.”

Aqua rolled her eyes and went back to practicing her form with her rapier. The blade was long and thin, and contrary to his comments sharp all along its length. The hilt remained the pale blued steel of her Keyblade, protecting her hand with sweeping rings into which was set the emblem of the Realm of Departure.

Ven’s spear also had the emblem set into it. Its handle was the same dark grey as Wayward Wind’s shaft, and the head of the spear was the gold of its guard.

“Nice partisan,” Terra commented, walking up.

“Is that what it’s called?” Ven asked, studying his weapon.

“How do you know all of this?” Vanitas asked Terra, a hint of accusation in his tone.

Terra shrugged. “I liked medieval fantasy. Means I know medieval weaponry pretty well.”

“The only time I’ve seen you enthusiastic about digging into a non-fiction book,” Aqua said drily, over her shoulder. Terra smirked.

“What the fuck is a ‘medieval’?” Vanitas whispered to Ventus, who shrugged.

“So what have you come up with, Van?” Terra asked. “Need ideas?”

“No,” Vanitas barked. Ven and Aqua both glared at him and he deflated. “Yes. I wanted to do something cool like a scythe, but that’s for farming, not for fighting, so it’s too shitty to be effective.”

“Hmmm. I used to know a guy who might disagree. Why don’t you try…?” Terra leaned down and whispered something in Vanitas’s ear.

Vanitas’s eyes widened. “You serious?”

“Yep. Just rotate it ninety degrees,” Terra said.

Vanitas raised his arm, and the shape of Lost Memory extended outwards to either side. One end curved somewhat, forming into what would have been a scythe blade if it had been at a right angle to where it was.

It was light greys and browns, but Vanitas didn’t care. He was grinning widely.

“So that’s _not_ a scythe?” Ven asked.

Terra shook his head. “No, it is. It’s a _war_ scythe. The design’s altered somewhat so that it can be used as a real weapon.”

Vanitas was still beaming at it. “Please stop that,” Ven said. “It’s creepy.”

Vanitas swiveled his head to look at him, expression not changing in the slightest. “Still creepy!” Ven said, and poked him with the blunt end of his spear.

“Hah!” Vanitas declared, pointing at him. “It _IS_ for poking!”

“What don’t you like about it?” Xion asked, frowning.

“It’s…” Naminé considered the object in her hand, her Formchanged Keyblade. From the look of it, it was a weapon designed to be held in one hand, which could propel a small piece of metal at rapid speeds.

In other words, her Keyblade was a gun.

Naminé gestured towards the intricate scrollwork in blue along the silver barrel. “It’s nice, but… Engravings give you no tactical advantage whatsoever. I don’t see the point.”

“…says the artist,” Xion said, shaking her head in bemusement.

“This isn’t art, it’s a weapon,” Naminé said, examining it. If anyone present had known anything about guns, they would have identified it as a semi-automatic pistol. Its grip was Memory’s Embrace’s dark blue, contrasting beautifully with the silver of the barrel and its blue inlay. Naminé did know enough, of course, to keep her finger off the trigger and the muzzle pointed resolutely at the ground away from anyone’s feet. She frowned. “I could have sworn these things need a place to put bullets in. Lightning had little cartridges for her gunblade. But I don’t see any sort of release.”

“Maybe it’s magic?” Xion suggested.

“Maybe,” Naminé agreed. “I’ll have to practice with it. No point having it if I’m just going to hit everyone else because I can’t aim.”

“Who knows, maybe you’ll finally figure out how to do something straight,” Xion teased.

Naminé stuck out her tongue. “Never!” They both laughed. “So how’s yours coming along?”

Xion blanched a bit. “Well… it’s… I have something, but…”

“But what?” Naminé asked, curious.

“It’s… kind of… not really… all that…”

“Xion?” Naminé was starting to worry.

“I can’t figure out how to lift it,” Xion blurted.

Naminé blinked. “Huh?”

“I should just… show you,” Xion said, resigned, and summoned her Keyblade. Oblivion shone in her hand for a moment, then glowed as it started to change. Gritting her teeth, it was all Xion could do to keep her hands on the grip as Oblivion’s point flared, widened, and pointed steadily downwards.

“Holy crap,” Naminé said, shocked, when the Formchange had finished.

It was too big to be called a sword. Too massive, too thick, too heavy, and far too rough. It was more like a large heap of iron. The blade was wider than Xion herself, and longer than she was tall. The handle was long, and joined to the blade by a simple semicircular guard. The blade itself was double-edged, and extended to a v-point. The entire thing was the glossy black of Oblivion, save for the guard and grip, which were the dark purple of Oblivion’s gem.

“You see what I have to deal with?” Xion said, resigned. “I mean, I can tease Roxas and say mine is bigger, but after a certain point it gets too big to do anything with.”

Naminé elected to ignore that. “Hey, Xion, compensating for something?” Lea asked, walking up. Naminé shot him a dirty look, and he grinned.

“No, not really,” Xion said, completely serious. Obviously she’d missed the joke. She sighed. “Guess I should start trying to work on something else. This is way too big.”

“I dunno, could have possibilities,” Lea mused.

“I agree. Sora knows someone who fights with a sword around that size. It’s doable,” Naminé said.

Xion made a face. “Yeah, but how?”

Lea put a hand to his chin. “You know… I think there’s someone you could ask about that.”

“Hey… um… do you have a second?”

Isa looked up from his book to see Xion lingering in the door of the common room. “Yes?” he said, curious.

“Um… we’re out in the yard, practicing this technique with our Keyblades…” There was a nervous note in her tone.

“I know,” Isa said. “I can see you out the window.”

“You can?” Xion asked, nervousness forgotten in her surprise. “You could’ve come out and watched, you know.”

“I didn’t want to intrude,” Isa said. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

“I’m… you know we’re getting our Keyblades to transform?” Isa nodded. “Right… well... I’m having trouble… lifting mine?”

“Lifting it?” Isa repeated, confused. Xion nodded.

“Lifting it,” she confirmed. “It turns into this huge… I dunno if I should even call it a sword at this point? But… Lea said it reminded him of your claymore. So he suggested I ask you for advice.”

“I’m… not sure how I could be of assistance,” Isa said, carefully.

Xion frowned. This was something she had noticed about Isa since he’d become himself again, that he was oddly closed off and reserved. According to Lea, this wasn’t super odd behaviour for him, but to Xion it was a tiny bit worrying. She’d been in dark places before, and closing herself off had never ended well.

“I don’t need a demonstration,” she said. Isa hadn’t been seen using his weapon since coming back; Xion suspected he had no desire to. It was another thing tying him to Saïx. No one had broached the subject of Isa joining them on the field of battle; they’d accept his help if he offered, of course, but the consensus was, like everyone else, he’d been through enough without being forced to fight again. “It’d be enough just for you to tell me if I’m doing something wrong.”

“And you trust me to do that for you?” Isa asked, quietly.

“Trust has to start somewhere,” Xion said, firmly. “There’s no reason why it can’t be now, over this.”

To her relief, Isa bit back a smile at that. “Then I suppose, if you insist.”

“I do,” Xion said, and smiled as he moved to follow her.

“That… certainly is impressive,” Isa said. Xion had brought him over to where the Formchanged Oblivion was still lying on the ground. Lea and Naminé had cleared off, knowing Xion would prefer this be private.

“That’s one word for it,” Xion muttered. “It’s too big and I can’t do anything with it. But I’m sure you’ve had that problem before,” she said, casting a sly look at Isa.

He didn’t seem to notice it. “Actually, no,” he said, and squatted down to look at the weapon. “It took this form for you?”

“Yep,” Xion said, squatting down next to him.

“Hmmm,” Isa said, putting his hand to his chin and pondering. Beside him, Xion unconsciously mimicked his movement. “I never had trouble with lifting my weapon, despite the weight.”

“Well, we can’t all have such a manly physique,” Xion muttered.

“That would have nothing to do with it,” Isa said, shaking his head. “There was a magic element to our weapons. Else, how could we summon and dismiss them?”

“So…?” Xion frowned.

“So, my weapon never felt heavy to me. This is still your Keyblade. The actual weight of the blade should be immaterial, if only to you.”

Xion tilted her head and frowned. “This better not be a bullshit self-confidence thing again.”

She felt, rather than saw, the miniscule tensing in Isa beside her. “I… don’t believe so,” he said, carefully, not looking at her.

Xion bit her lip. Obviously, Isa knew the reasons why she would have self-confidence issues. And that he himself was one of them. “You think I can do this?” she asked him.

He turned back, and made eye contact. “I know you can,” he said, quietly.

She nodded. “All right.” She reached down and grasped her weapon’s handle. She fixed her gaze on Isa, and lifted.

The monstrous weapon rose with her like it weighed nothing at all. “I did it!” she said, and beamed.

Isa was suddenly struck with a warm feeling in the depths of his heart upon seeing Xion’s smile, like he’d put his hand into a pool of sunlight he hadn’t known was there. In a small way, he felt like he now understood why Lea and Roxas were so protective of her.

“Hey Naminé, look!” Xion yelled towards the others, and Isa barely ducked in time as she swiveled, and the blade passed through where his head and torso had been.

“Perhaps I should give you some instruction in proper handling,” he said.

“Really? Why?” Xion asked, turning back to face him and nearly beheading him. “Oh. Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Isa said. “But I think you might see the reason why I always held mine behind me?”

“Yeah… I’m not as tall as you are, though, so I don’t know if that would work,” Xion said, in contemplation.

“I’m sure we’ll figure something out,” Isa said. He took a deep breath. “Although this would be easier if I could give examples.”

“You don’t have to,” Xion said, firmly.

“…True,” Isa said. “But I _should_.” He held out his hand, and his claymore appeared in a flash of light.

“…Isa?” Xion asked after he’d said nothing for a couple seconds. “Everything okay?”

His hands were trembling. He didn’t respond.

“Isa,” Xion said, in a commanding tone. “Put it away. You don’t have to do this.”

“…I know that,” Isa said, quietly. “But I _want_ to. Because it will help you.”

“I don’t want you to push yourself into something you’re not comfortable with in order to help me,” Xion said, firmly.

“It’s the least I can do,” he said, and stopped trembling. He straightened up.

Xion narrowed her eyes at him. “You understand I’m going to tell Lea about this.”

Isa grimaced. “I’m aware.” He cleared his throat. “Anyways. You won’t be able to match my normal stance given the difference between our heights, so it might be best to discover which stances best suit you to begin with.” It was true. If Xion had tried to hold her weapon the same way Isa held his claymore, the tip of the blade would be buried in the ground.

“All right,” Xion said, nodding, though she was still alarmed. “Why don’t we start with–”

“Everything all right over here?”

Xion and Isa both looked up to see Roxas standing before them, holding his twin swords in a way that might have been an attempt at looking casual. It wasn’t a good attempt.

“Yes, Roxas, we’re fine. I asked Isa to help me figure out how to use this,” Xion said, indicating her blade.

“I see,” Roxas said. He didn’t move.

“I’m fine,” Xion said, insistent.

“That’s good,” Roxas said. He still didn’t move.

“…Would you like to stay and watch?” Isa deadpanned.

“Sure, if you’re offering,” Roxas said, and stepped back to give them room.

Xion rolled her eyes, but they set to work anyway under Roxas’s <strike>suspicious</strike> careful supervision. Isa led her few a set of stances, and they managed to find a couple she could work with.

“I would surmise,” Isa said, after watching her swing her weapon around, “that part of the trouble you were having with the weight has to do with its size.”

“Oh, no shit?” Roxas asked, sarcastic. “I would never have guessed.”

Isa resisted the temptation to glare at him. “My point being, it looks much heavier than it actually is, until one is aware that it isn’t. There might be some sort of illusion magic connected to it.”

“So it’ll hit someone harder if they think it’s heavier?” Xion asked.

Isa nodded. “It is merely conjecture at this point, but it might be possible.” He smiled at her.

Xion smiled back at him, and Roxas stared like he’d just seen a frog performing vaudeville.

“Regardless, you should probably try sparring with it,” Isa continued. “…I…don’t think it would be wise for your partner to be myself, so…”

“I’m up for it,” Roxas said.

Isa frowned. “Are you sure?”

“We spar together all the time, I don’t see what the big deal is,” Roxas added. Xion nodded her assent, although she’d figured out why Isa was being given pause.

“It’s been… a long time since then,” she said to him, quietly.

Roxas blinked. “A long time since what?”

“I’ll explain later,” she said, and motioned for him to join her in the ring.

Isa banished his claymore and breathed a shuddering breath. It was a bit too much of a reminder of Saïx.

“Hey, everything all right?”

Isa looked up to see that Lea had walked over. He shook his head. “Are you all going to come over and ask that?”

“Well, I know you, and I know you’re probably not gonna say something of your own accord if it is, so…?”

Isa sighed. “Everything is fine. I just… experience some uncomfortable emotions when holding that weapon.”

Lea nodded. “I don’t blame you. You gonna be okay?”

“I’ll be fine,” Isa said, truthfully.

Lea nodded again and smiled. “Good. So, making friends with Xion?”

“I… suppose you could say that, yes,” Isa said.

“Oh?” Lea asked, smirking.

“If you must know,” Isa said, haughtily, “I may have only spent an hour with her, but I can say with confidence that if anything happened to her, I would kill everyone responsible and then myself.”

Lea nodded again. “Please don’t kill yourself. We’ve spent a lot of time and effort making sure you’re alive. Hate to have wasted it.”

There was an edge of alarm in his voice that alarmed Isa in turn. He reached out a hand and put it on Lea’s shoulder. “Lea, rest assured that I have no desire to squander this second chance I’ve been given. I was trying to be humorous; I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.”

The worry instantly drained from Lea’s face. “I’m sure I’ll struggle through somehow. Glad you’re warming up to Xion.”

“She is…quite unexpected,” Isa agreed. “You did a good job raising her. Raising both of them.”

“Whoa, hold on now,” Lea said, glaring at him. “What’s all this ‘raising’ shit?”

Isa arched an eyebrow at him and smiled. “Well, since you’ve so obviously taken on the role of their father, I’m actually quite surprised neither of them call you ‘da–’”

Lea lunged forwards and clapped a hand over his mouth. “Oh no, don’t you fucking dare,” he growled. “That word is _banned_. Got it memorized?”

To his surprise, Isa started shaking under his hand. It took Lea a couple seconds to realize that the other man was _laughing._

He hadn’t heard that sound in a long time.

“Don’t tell me you broke him. We’re not getting you another one.”

Lea looked over to see that Roxas and Xion had taken a break from sparring, lured by the odd noises coming out of Isa. “Apparently I’m funny.”

“You know, looks aren’t everything,” Roxas deadpanned, smirking.

“Hey!”

“Are you all right, Isa?” Xion asked.

Isa was now bent over, Roxas’s comment having pushed him into even further paroxysms of laughter. “Yes, yes,” he said, straightening up and catching his breath. “I feel fine. I… I feel.” He smiled. “I haven’t been able to say that for a long time.”

Lea grinned. “Glad to have you back, Isa.”

Isa matched him grin for grin. “Glad to be back, Lea.”

“If you two are going to be gross, we’re going back to sparring,” Roxas said, grabbing Xion’s arm and dragging her away. Lea reddened, but Isa just laughed again.

And that made it worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I mean you figured this was inevitable, right?  
The title comes from the phrase "Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose", or "the more things change, the more they stay the same". Yes, I could have titled it in English. But I didn't want to.  
It's important to note that I'm not taking the idea of everyone having more than one Formchange off the table, it's just that for now it's simpler if everyone has one specifically. Nothing is preventing them from having more in the future!  
Additionally, every weapon that I gave a specific name to here is a real weapon. Yes, even Riku's gauntlet sword. It's a real thing. (India didn't have to go so hard with their weapon designs but by god they did and it's glorious). Vanitas's war scythe is also a real thing that really exists; turns out all you have to do to make a scythe a viable weapon is change the angle of the blade.  
Sea-Salt family is precious and I love them, so have some Xion-Isa bonding time! On a related note, I've never felt more like a teenage boy than I did while writing this chapter. I had fun.  
Speaking of having fun, I spent most of today playing Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Very old! Still a good game! (on easy difficulty!) Still not done my first playthrough despite literally starting a year ago! (turns out that happens when you play a game for three hours then don't touch it for a year. Go figure.)  
I think that's about everything I want to say! Next week is a surprise! ...But I'll say in advance I'm sorry about the earworm. Mostly.  
Until next time!


	7. Made For You And Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kairi, Roxas, and Xion go on a field trip, and meet some new and old friends

Roxas stepped out into the bright Technicolor™ world and was somehow immediately tired.

It had occurred to both him and Xion that there was some instruction they were both sorely lacking in. Both of them were attuned to the element of light itself, but neither of them had any idea what to do with that, outside of their Limit Breaks and some small spells. Kairi had realized she had a similar problem. She had a greater understanding of what she could do as a Princess of Heart now (although to Roxas it sounded like being a Princess of Heart was just giving the thing that was bothering you the middle finger and saying “no, _you_ move”), but she didn’t know any light magic, either.

It was Mickey, for once, who hit upon a solution. He did know one person who was a master of light-element magic, and who would be willing to teach them: his own wife, Queen Minnie of Disney Town.

Kairi and Xion, by contrast, seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely.

“Is that a gun that shoots ice cream?!” Kairi gasped.

“It’s probably harder than it looks,” Roxas said. “Seems like the timing would be difficult to get down.”

Kairi shot him a look. “Xion, is he always this much of a wet blanket?”

Xion shrugged. “Would you believe I find the cynicism cute?”

“No, but I would believe you find the way he’s blushing cute,” Kairi said, teasing.

“Shut up,” Roxas grumbled.

“You know what, you’re absolutely right, I do find the way he’s blushing cute,” Xion agreed, ruffling Roxas’s hair. “And the pout, too.”

“Whatever,” Roxas scoffed, and Xion kissed his cheek.

They’d been waiting for Mickey to get them access to Disney Castle. One would think that being the King of the world, it would be a quick process, but Mickey had said it might take a while. He’d mentioned something about getting them a “FastPass”, but no one had known what he was talking about.

Eventually, he returned. “All right, fellas! Just head in and the brooms will show you the way! Minnie’s real excited to meet you all!” he said.

Kairi frowned. “You’re not coming in with us?”

Mickey shrugged, embarrassed. “Well, I _would_, but I’ve got something I’ve gotta take care of. Stay as long as ya want! And I’ll see ya back at the Tower.” With that, he opened a Light Corridor and was away.

“Remind me again who put him in charge of a world?” Roxas muttered.

“Maybe a strange woman lying in a pond distributing swords?” Kairi suggested, a teasing glint in her eye.

“…the problem is with the way our lives work, that’s entirely possible,” Roxas said.

“I think he said he married into the royal family, and that Queen Minnie does most of the actual governing,” Xion offered.

“I hope so. I’d feel bad for everyone here if that wasn’t true,” Roxas said.

“Yeah, strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government,” Kairi agreed. Her teasing expression hadn’t changed. At their blank looks, she sighed. “Really? Once we’re done with all this Xehanort crap we’re gonna have to sit you two down and make you watch movies.”

“I’m glad you have your priorities in order,” Roxas deadpanned, smirking. “We shouldn’t keep her Majesty waiting, huh?”

“Probably not,” Kairi agreed. “Shall we?”

The moved towards the entryway. Xion moved to follow them, but stopped for a moment, pondering.

“…We don’t really know where King Mickey got his original Keyblade from, huh?” she murmured to herself.

“Xion! You coming?” Roxas called back.

“Yeah, sorry!” she replied, and hurried after them.

Roxas had to admit the giant doors to the throne room were impressive, though the tiny sally port that was all that actually opened was a little disappointing in comparison. It made for a funny image, though.

The broomstick that was escorting them led the way to the end of the massive throne room behind the doors, and took up position next to the thrones themselves. It gestured towards the trio, as if announcing them despite being unable to speak.

Sitting on one of the thrones was a mouse who looked quite similar to Mickey, in a pink, red, and salmon ballgown, with a gold tiara. Queen Minnie looked at them and smiled.

Kairi curtsied. “Your Majesty,” she said. Behind her, Roxas and Xion copied her movement despite the fact that both were wearing pants, not knowing what else to do. Kairi tried not to laugh.

Queen Minnie did let out a giggle, but it clearly wasn’t aimed at them. “Please, just call me Minnie,” she said, stepping down from the throne and walking over to take Kairi’s hand, lifting her out of the curtsy.

“All right, your Maj – Minnie,” Kairi amended. “I’m Kairi, and this is Roxas and Xion.”

“A pleasure to meet you,” Xion said, smiling. Roxas nodded along.

“The pleasure is all mine,” Minnie replied, matching her smile. “But this isn’t a social call, if I’m correct?”

“I’m afraid not,” Kairi agreed. “King Mickey said that you might be able to teach the three of us about light–element magic?”

Minnie nodded, her face growing more serious. “He mentioned it to me, too. And I can. Please, follow me.”

Minnie led the way out of the throne room, to a room lower in the castle. As they walked, she said, “If I may ask, what experience do you three have with this sort of magic?”

“I can do some things, but it’s not magic in the way I’m thinking of,” Roxas said. “The only thing that’s really a ‘spell’ rather than a fighting technique that I know is Pearl.”

Xion nodded. “I’m the same, really.”

Kairi shrugged. “And I don’t know anything. At least, I don’t think I know anything. I’m not sure what’s Princess of Heart stuff and what’s… I guess the word is normal? Light magic? If you can call magic ‘normal’.” she added in an undertone.

Minnie laughed. “Well, that’s a good place to start,” she said, and opened the door they’d arrived at.

The room was smaller than the throne room, although that wasn’t difficult, but spacious enough for training. Minnie clapped her hands, and a row of training dummies identical to the ones used at the Mysterious Tower rose from the floor.

“Before we begin,” she said, “I want to talk to you about Light.” A set of chairs arose from the ground in a circle and Minnie motioned for them to sit down.

They did so, and Minnie sat with them. “We live in the Realm of Light,” she began. “Light surrounds us, wells from within us, and binds us all together. We are luminous beings, not merely this crude matter that makes up our bodies. As I’m sure you’re well aware,” she added, nodding to Roxas and Xion.

That sounded oddly familiar to Kairi for some reason, but she dismissed the idea. “Light is the creation of life,” Minnie continued. “And I know how that sounds, but darkness is also one of life’s creations. Though they may be opposites, they are not entirely opposed to one another; as your friend Riku knows well.”

“Making a lot of assumptions with that ‘friend’ thing,” Roxas muttered, and Xion elbowed him.

“So, wait,” Kairi said, a little confused. “If it’s like darkness that much, is there the whole upper and lowercase thing? Personal light and general Light?”

Minnie nodded. “Yes, Kairi, that’s the case. However, it’s much harder to borrow the power of Light than Darkness. It’s more stable. In addition, since we’re all denizens of the Realm of Light, we really have no need to draw on more than what we produce ourselves. This wasn’t always the case,” she continued. “There was a point long before the worlds became as they are now, when people looking to wield Keyblades collected light to raise their own strength.”

“Sounds tedious,” Roxas commented.

“I’m told at times it was,” Minnie agreed.

“So… we’re still going to be using our personal light, then?” Kairi asked.

Minnie nodded. “It’s actually the easier method. Though it may come easier for you, Kairi, being a Princess of Heart.”

“I don’t suppose _you_ have any idea what being a Princess of Heart means, your– Minnie?” Kairi asked. “I talked to the other princesses and it seems like none of us know. I figured some things out, but I couldn’t find any concrete answers except for the ones I made myself.”

Minnie smiled. “I think that _is_ the answer, Kairi. It’s the answer you make for yourself.”

Roxas coughed something that sounded like “cop-out”, and Xion elbowed him again.

“Drawing on one’s own light, though easier than drawing on the Light of the realm, is still quite difficult,” Minnie continued. “To begin with, I’m going to have the three of you test the limits of your stamina. Roxas, Xion, if you know the Pearl spell, I would like you to use it. Kairi, we’ll begin with teaching you how to–”

She was interrupted by the room’s door popping open. There was a skittering noise across the stone tiles on the floor, and a lanky dog with golden fur and black ears and tail came rushing through the door. He froze in the middle of the room, swiveled, and rushed straight to Kairi.

“Whoa!” she yelped as her lap was suddenly full of dog face. “Pluto! Hey, boy, how have you been?” She started scratching behind his ears and Pluto sagged into her lap, lips pulled back in what looked a bit like a smile.

Minnie sighed, and chuckled. “I suppose it was only a matter of time. He has quite the powerful nose, you know. It only makes sense that he would find you eventually.”

“I guess so,” Kairi said, smiling. Abruptly, she realized the other people in the room had gone silent. “Roxas? Xion? What’s up?”

Roxas was staring at Pluto, frowning like he was trying to remember something, but Xion had frozen with a look of shock on her face. “Is… is he… is he the same…” Roxas blinked, confused. He looked at Minnie. “You mean he’s _your_ dog?”

Minnie looked confused as well. “Specifically he belongs to my husband, but yes, Pluto is our dog.”

“…Wow,” Roxas said, and looked over at Xion, who hadn’t moved. “…Xion? You okay?”

The second Xion’s name left Roxas’s lips, Pluto perked up. His face scrunched up, and he brought up a leg to scratch at his ear. His eyes popped open suddenly, and he slowly walked towards Xion, sniffing as he went.

Xion slowly got to her feet as Pluto approached, her own eyes widening. Time seemed frozen for a moment, until Pluto barked and leapt forwards, straight into Xion.

Xion collapsed over backwards, with Pluto licking her face. She was laughing her heart out.

“Um?” Kairi asked, bemused.

“…yeah, we kind of… found this dog back when we were in the Organization, and Xion sort of adopted him? Or he adopted her; I’m not sure how that works,” Roxas said. “We, uh, didn’t know he already had an owner,” he added, sheepish.

Minnie shook her head. “No, no, it’s not a problem. Pluto has a tendency to come and go as he pleases. And to make new friends wherever he goes,” she added, smiling at Xion and Pluto on the floor.

Xion flopped backwards, a huge smile on her face. Pluto had draped himself over her torso and looked very content. She idly scratched behind his ears as she said, “Roxas I think Disney Town is secretly heaven.”

“I hope not. I can think of one or two counter-arguments,” Roxas said, smirking.

“I should take you to meet the Dalmatians,” Kairi said, chuckling. “I wonder if they went back to their own world, or if they’re still in Traverse Town?” she continued to herself in an undertone.

Minnie laughed as well. “Well, it seems Xion will be occupied for some time. Roxas, why don’t you give me a hand in teaching the Pearl spell to Kairi?”

“How – hah – are – hah – you – hah – still going?” Roxas panted.

Kairi shrugged. “I dunno, Roxas, maybe girls just last… uh…” she shot a guilty look at Minnie, who didn’t seem to understand what she was saying. “Never mind.”

“I – hah – don’t – hah – think – it’s a – hah – girl thing,” Xion said, just as exhausted as Roxas. Minnie had asked them to figure out the limits of their stamina when it came to casting Light magic. Apparently, the way it worked was different from normal magic; it drew equally from the caster’s light as it did their normal magic. Roxas and Xion had quickly tired out, but Kairi still wasn’t feeling any different.

“It may be a side effect of being a Princess of Heart,” Minnie mused.

Kairi smirked. “Yep, I can keep going all…” she trailed off, pressing her lips together. “Day,” she finished with a sigh. Being in Disney Town was starting to wear on her. “Guess there are some benefits to having a heart of pure light aside from all the connecting hearts nonsense.”

“Why don’t we take a break for a bit?” Minnie suggested.

Kairi looked over at Roxas and Xion, both apparently dead on their feet, and nodded. “Sounds like a good idea to me.” She went over and helped Xion into one of the chairs. Xion sat down with a tiny groan, and Roxas slumped into the next one over. Minnie passed both of them an Ether, which they took gratefully. Pluto wrapped himself around the legs of Xion’s chair and she beamed as she reached for his head to give him more scritches.

“So this is where you’ve all been hiding!”

Another new visitor poked their head in the door. “Oh, hello, Daisy,” Minnie said, as Daisy entered the room. “This is Roxas, Xion, and Kairi.”

Roxas waved and Xion nodded. “Hi!” Kairi said, smiling. “Are you the person Donald’s always talking about?”

“I certainly hope so!” Daisy said, an edge of teasing in her voice as she smiled back.

“He’s got a locket with a picture of you, or so I’m told,” Xion said. “I think it’s a safe bet.”

“Oh, isn’t he a sweetheart?” Daisy gushed. Privately, Roxas wondered to himself why she was perfectly intelligible, and Donald wasn’t. Apparently it had nothing to do with the beak. “I hope they can come home soon.”

Kairi pursed her lips. “Um… Minnie, Daisy, I’d… like to talk to you about that, actually, if you don’t mind.”

Roxas rose to his feet. “Hey Xion, want to go find a ball for Pluto?”

“Sounds good,” Xion agreed, following his lead. “Come on, boy!” Pluto raced behind them as they left the room, spurred onwards by the word “ball”.

“What is it you wanted to ask us, Kairi?” Daisy asked. Her eyes narrowed. “Did Donald do something dumb again?”

“No, no, nothing like that,” Kairi said. “It’s just… how do you two… handle it?”

“Handle what?” Minnie asked.

Kairi shrunk a bit in her chair. “Handle… being left behind.”

“Oh,” Daisy said, and came over to sit on her left. Minnie moved a bit closer on her right.

“It… it doesn’t happen so much anymore, not now that I can fight, too,” Kairi admitted, “but… back then… all I could do was wait. And for a long time I didn’t even know _what_ I was waiting for, since I lost my memories of Sora. It’s just… how do you put up with it?”

Minnie reached out and took her hand. “How we deal with Mickey and Donald going off to save the worlds while we stay here?”

“Yeah.”

Minnie sighed. “It’s not that simple, Kairi. And I know, you’re expecting me to say something like ‘they have to do what they have to do to keep everyone safe’, but what you’re asking is why it has to be them and not us, right?”

Kairi nodded. “Well, Kairi, to tell you the truth we have important jobs here as well. Mickey can go out and save the worlds all he wants, but I need to be here for there to still be a world to save,” Minnie explained. “I love him very much, but he’s not exactly the best person to go to for governing.”

“We are talking about the same mouse that figured hitching a ride on a world that had its heart stolen was the best way to get into the Realm of Darkness, you know,” Daisy added. “And you should have seen him before the town was formally established! I wouldn’t have trusted him with anything important.”

“So I’m afraid it’s not quite the same thing, Kairi,” Minnie said, squeezing her hand. “It’s not so much that we’re being left behind, as it is we have important jobs to do here. We aren’t just sitting and waiting.”

Kairi sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“Now, now, none of that!” Minnie said severely. “Just because the situations were and are different doesn’t mean you were wrong to feel mistreated. We’re the ones who should apologize, because we don’t have any insight to offer you.”

“But we agree, what happened to you was unfair, and I hope both Sora and Riku have learned their lesson,” Daisy added.

Kairi smiled a little at that. “I think they have. They know I’ll have words if it happens again.” Her lip twisted. “Assuming they make it back if it does.”

Daisy patted her back. “They will. No matter what, they always will.”

“…I have nightmares sometimes,” Kairi confessed. “That something happened to me, and Sora went too far to save me. And… and I make it back, but he… doesn’t.”

“That won’t happen,” Minnie said, firmly. “Your hearts are connected. There’s nowhere he can go that you, and Riku, won’t be able to find him. All you have to do is believe, in your connection, and in your hearts, and in your love.”

Slowly, Kairi smiled again. “Thank you, your Majesty.”

Minnie laughed. “I said to call me Minnie, you know.”

“I know,” Kairi said, “but I thought it was called for.” She stood up and stretched. “Well, better go collect the others before Xion dognaps Pluto.”

“Oh, I don’t think we’re in danger of that,” Minnie said, smiling. “Pluto comes and goes as he pleases. And he always comes home.”

“Just like Mickey and Donald,” Daisy added. “And Goofy. Max misses him, too, but he keeps busy.”

“…sometimes I forget that Goofy has a kid,” Kairi said, shaking her head. “How did that happen?”

“There are certain questions we do not ask,” Minnie said, firmly.

“…Oh… kay…” Kairi said.

“Max’s mother was wonderful, but sadly she’s not with us anymore,” Daisy explained. “Goofy was oddly well-suited to fatherhood, though.”

“Yeah, I have to agree to that,” Kairi said, smiling. “I don’t know what Sora would have done without him.”

“Or Donald?” Daisy said.

“…Yeah, him, too!” Kairi said. Daisy let the minute hesitation go.

“We’ve got a lot of training to do,” Minnie said, gracefully transitioning away from the subject. “Shall we resume?”

Kairi smiled. “With pleasure.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _What's the earworm that will stick_  
_For all eternity?_  
_M-I-C, K-E-Y, M-O-U-S-E!_  
What's this? A chapter of an Adjustments fic that takes place outside of the Mysterious Tower (and outside Twilight Town)? Impossible!  
And yet, here we are. I have a certain plan for Kairi and Roxas and Xion, and for that they need to know some light-element magic. I will not be taking questions on the matter at this time. ;P  
So despite now owning the Days manga in its entirety, I still haven't read it. So any specific things Xion and Pluto might have experienced together are a closed book to me (badum-tish). I also have a confession to make. As you might have been able to tell, I am a cat person. I'm very much not a dog person. You know how there are some people whose stance on children is "Other people's kids are great but I'd never want to have one of my own?" Yeah. That's me and dogs. So sadly this is probably the extent of Xion-Pluto time I'm ever going to write.   
I think this is also the first chapter in a very long time to feature some combination of Roxas, Xion, and Kairi, and also no profanity? The DISNEY field is in full effect here in Disney Town, and it's much stronger than Sora's.  
Do I need to point out the Star Wars references? I'm pointing out the Star Wars references. Minnie's speech about Light is in part a paraphrasing of Yoda's "My ally is the Force" speech from Empire Strikes Back. Which is why Kairi finds it familiar, since it's entirely possible she's heard it before.   
And we also have Daisy's first (and only planned) appearance! Full disclosure, I was beta-reading a friend's role-swap AU that puts Kairi, Minnie, and Daisy in place of Sora, Donald, and Goofy at the time, so let's just say I wanted in on the action a bit. (I will direct you to where you can find it when they start posting it, as they're focusing on another project at the moment, and also waiting until it's completely written to start posting it).   
I think that's about it! I finished KOTOR, which means I can go back to something else in the large pile of games I started and haven't finished, and definitely not something in the even larger pile of games I own and haven't started! Oh, and I have four chapters of the next fic done. I think it's going well so far! ...and I can literally tell you nothing else about it yet!   
Until next time!


	8. Always in Motion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A strange visitor to the Mysterious Tower helps explain some of the finer points of time travel.

“What are you doing?”

“Shhhhhhh!” Vanitas hissed. Sora blinked at him. Vanitas was pressed up against the door to Yen Sid’s study. It looked like he had been trying to listen to something on the other side of the door.

Sora frowned. “Eavesdropping’s rude, you know.”

“Oh, fuck off, Sora, sometimes it keeps you alive,” Vanitas scoffed. “And keep it down, I can’t hear what they’re saying.”

“What who’s saying?” Sora asked.

“The old man’s talking to someone in there. I don’t know who they are and _I don’t like it_,” Vanitas grumbled. “Now shut up and let me listen.”

Sora joined him at the door. “What could they be talking about?”

“If you will _stop talking_ for _five minutes_, maybe we can _find out_?!” Vanitas hissed.

The door abruptly popped open. The two teens, poorly counterbalanced, overcompensated and fell forwards into the room.

Yen Sid was, as always, sitting behind his desk. His fingers were steepled, and he turned to look at them in surprise.

The other person in the room was harder to identify. It wasn’t clear if they were male or female, more accurate to say somewhere in between. They looked young, but there was a veneer of agelessness about them that made it difficult to say how old they actually were. You could say they were neither tall nor short, because that would be easier than saying they were tall _and_ short at the same time. Their skin was unnaturally pale, and there was an odd orange cast to it, as if their blood wasn’t red beneath their skin. Their ears were long and tapered, extending parallel to their head. They had brown hair of medium length, and most strikingly, bright purple eyes.

“Like I said. Eavesdroppers,” the person said, and smiled. “Nice to meet you, Sora, Vanitas.”

“How do you know our names?” Vanitas asked, rolling back on his feet.

Sora was slower to rise. “Hi! …um, I don’t mean to be rude, but… who are you?”

The person leaned side to side. “Best to think of me as… a consultant.”

“A consultant for what?” Sora asked, confused.

“Temporal nonsense,” said the person.

“Huh?”

“This being is, in a sense, the anthropomorphization of the concept of time itself,” Yen Sid explained, glaring at Sora and Vanitas.

“Not _strictly_ true, but close enough,” said the being. “Call me Tim.”

“‘Tim’?” Vanitas asked.

The being shrugged. “Technically my name is ‘Time’s Champion’. Or. Well. That’s not _actually_ my name, but that’s the title. Got cut off while saying it once and people started calling me ‘Tim’.”

Vanitas stared. “But that doesn’t match the–”

“My real name, of course, is a secret,” the Champion continued, cutting him off. Vanitas glared at him (it seemed reasonable to assume “him” since he’d given a masculine name – unless it was short for “Timantha”).

“It’s unpronounceable, right?” Sora said, grinning.

“Huh? No, no, it’s just a secret. I’m not the first Champion, and I won’t be the last. It’s a job. I _was once like you_.” The Champion wiggled his fingers, smirking.

“Weak, pathetic, and human?” Vanitas asked, sarcastic.

The Champion laughed. “Weak and pathetic, sure; human, no. Long story.” He flicked the tip of one of his ears. “This is closer to how I actually look than I usually appear. Can’t change the eyes, though. Miss the green a bit.”

Yen Sid cleared his throat. “While this is all very interesting,” he said in a slightly disinterested tone, “I did request your presence here for a purpose.”

“Right. Well, as far as I can tell, the way that Keyblade of his works means that the people he plucks out of time should pop right back to where they were taken from, with no knowledge of anything that happened outside of their personal time stream, once they…” the Champion bit his lower lip. “…die. Which is unfortunate for all these kids that have to do the killing.”

“I’m six-fucking-teen,” Vanitas muttered.

The Champion glanced at him. “And I was over 8000 _before_ I accepted this mantle. Trust me. You’re _all_ children from my species’ perspective.” His expression softened. “And yet I’ve still been where you are. It sucks. It’s not fair. It’ll mess you up for years afterwards. Hopefully you don’t take as long as I did to recover.”

“It is my desire that the situation with Xehanort be resolved with as little trauma to our young Keybearers as possible,” Yen Sid said. “I regret that it is not completely avoidable, yet–”

“Whoa, I didn’t mean that as a condemnation,” the Champion said, holding up a hand. “Master Yen Sid, I know you wish there was another way. And it’s not your fault that there isn’t. All of you are doing the best you can with what you have.”

Yen Sid closed his eyes and inclined his head. “I understand.”  
“Understanding’s one thing. I hope one day you can believe it, too,” said the Champion.

Sora was frowning. “So… wait, this was about the people Xehanort’s pulled out of time?”

The Champion nodded. “Yep. See, take Ansem for example. He died back when you killed him back in Kingd – uh, in front of the Door to Darkness. For things to continue on as they’re supposed to, he needs to die _there_ and _then_. Not in the Keyblade Graveyard three years after the fact.”

“So… what happens if we do kill him in the Graveyard?”

“He’ll snap back to wherever and _when_ever Young Norty grabbed him from, with no memories of anything that happened to him while he was out of his proper place in time,” said the Champion. “Make sense? Basically, killing them isn’t going to cause a paradox; it’s actually going to _fix_ one in the making.”

“Wonderful,” Vanitas muttered. “And why does that matter?”

There was a light smirk playing across the Champion’s face. “You don’t know what the word ‘paradox’ means, do you. Hey, now, it’s not something you would have come across, don’t get mad,” he added at Vanitas’s furious look. “It’s something you can ask Aqua about later, how about that?”

Vanitas grumbled to himself but let it go.

Yen Sid nodded. “I thank you for your assistance.”

“Anytime!”

“And I apologize for the… intrusion,” Yen Sid added, glaring at Sora and Vanitas.

The Champion chuckled. “Do you really think I would’ve shown up now, today, at this time, if I wasn’t expecting this interruption? I’m not omniscient, but I know a few things. And I’ve got something to say to each of you. First, Vanitas.”

“What?” Vanitas asked, irritated.

The Champion smiled. “You’ve come a long way and we’re all proud of you. Stick with it; you’re better than you think you are, and you’ll find your happiness if you keep looking for it. That’s all.”

Vanitas stared at him, slackjawed, as he turned to Sora. “And as for you, Sora, it’s actually two things. First… ‘You are the one who will open the door’.”

Sora frowned. “Wasn’t that about the Door to Darkness? Didn’t I already do that?”

The Champion shrugged. “Back in K-H-wh – uh, back three years ago, yes, that’s what it meant. But life has many doors, Sora-boy. And you’ve got the _key_.” A wide grin grew on his face. Sora frowned. The Champion kept grinning. “The _key_.”

“My Keyblade?” Sora asked.

The Champion’s face fell. “I was… trying to make a pun, or a play on words…”

“Oh! I get it!” Sora said. “That was… nice!”

“No, it was _horrible_, that was the whole point,” the Champion said, chuckling. “Anyway. The second thing I need to tell you is: Kairi was supposed to tell you something and she forgot about it.”

“She did? What was it?” Sora asked, confused.

“Gotta ask _her_ that,” the Champion said, winking. “I’m not allowed to interfere _too_ much. Again, more of a consultant here, really.”

“All right?” Sora said, confused.

“If she needs a reminding, tell her ‘it’s never too late’. Ought to jog her memory a bit,” said the Champion. “I believe that’s everything, which means it’s time for me to depart. I wish you go well. Sweet be your dreams, and may your happiness swell.” He walked towards the door, and took the handle. “I promise, you won’t be seeing me again. Goodbye, and… may your hearts be your guiding keys.” He winked, and pulled the door behind him.

“Wait, but… that’s the wrong way,” Vanitas said. And it was true: the Champion had pulled the door against the wall, trapping himself between them.

“Indeed,” Yen Sid sighed. “I’m afraid that despite his position, he remains a touch too… theatrical.”

Sora walked over to the door and pulled it away from the wall.

The Champion had vanished like he’d never been there.

“Huh.” Sora said.

Yen Sid sighed again. “And I see the streak of theatricality continues.”

Sora frowned. “I… think I need to go talk to Kairi. That sounded important.” He left the room, leaving Yen Sid behind with Vanitas.

Vanitas, for his part, was still slightly stunned. “He was not wrong, for the record.”

“Huh?” Vanitas asked, jerking around to face Yen Sid.

The sorcerer tilted his head. “The Champion. He was not wrong. You have made great strides since you arrived, and we are all proud of what you have accomplished.”

Vanitas turned bright red and looked away. “Whatever. Fuck off.”

“You are in _my_ study,” Yen Sid pointed out. “The impetus to leave is upon _you_.”

Vanitas huffed. He moved leave, but paused in the doorway. Faintly, so faint Yen Sid could barely hear it, he asked, “Do you… really mean all those things you said?”

“Of course I do, Vanitas,” Yen Sid said, as solemn as ever, and at normal volume.

Vanitas turned to him. “I don’t believe you.” But there was a wavering in his voice, almost as if on some level, he _wanted_ to believe.

Yen Sid smiled. “Then it is my hope that someday, you will.”

“Oh, there you guys are!”

“Hi Sora!” said Kairi. She was sprawled out on a couch in the common room, with her head in Riku’s lap. He had been playing with her hair. “Check it out! I finished it!”

Riku, smiling as broadly as he ever did, held up his own Wayfinder. It was roughly identical to Sora’s, save for the face having greenish eyes and silver hair.

“Cool!” said Sora, beaming. He suddenly remembered why he’d been looking for them. “Oh, Kairi! Almost forgot! There was this weird person in Yen Sid’s study, and he said there was something you’d forgotten to tell me?”

“Forgotten to tell you?” Kairi said, frowning. She lifted her legs and let Sora slide himself in onto the couch.

“Yeah, he said something like ‘it’s never too late’; he said that might jog your memory?”

Riku frowned. “Doesn’t mean anything to me. Kairi?”

Kairi had frozen. “Holy sh… shi… shrimp.”

“You remember?” Sora asked, ignoring the vocal stumble.

“Yeah… yeah, I do,” Kairi said, sitting up. “When Naminé and I went to Gran Pulse, after she got her body back, there was this girl. She stopped me in the street and said…” Kairi closed her eyes and recited from memory. “‘It’s never too late. There’s always time to make a choice again, especially for the first time. No matter how it looks, few things are truly set in stone’…” She trailed off. “That was everything that was relevant, I think. She wanted me to make sure you knew that. She mentioned you by name, Sora. I… got distracted since that visit didn’t go well for Naminé. It slipped my mind.”

“Me?” Sora asked, confused. “I wonder why.”

“I wonder what it’s talking about,” Riku said. “There’s always time to make a choice again, for the first time? How is it ‘again’ if it’s the first time?”

“Maybe it’s talking about someone who didn’t get a choice of what they were doing the first time?” Kairi suggested.

“Would that… make it Vanitas?” Riku asked.

“Vanitas already made choices he didn’t get the first time around,” Sora said. “Why would it be brought up now?”

“Good point,” Riku conceded.

“As for ‘why you’, Sora… I think it’s because you’re the one who always wants to believe in everyone,” said Kairi. “You and Ven, I guess.”

“You look for the best and never give up hope you’ll find it,” said Riku. “Whoever this person is who needs to make a new choice, you’re probably their best shot to recognize it.”

Slowly, Sora nodded, and smiled, clenching a fist in front of himself. “Okay. Whoever this person is, I’ll be on the lookout for them! That’s a promise!”

Kairi nudged Riku. “He’s cute when he’s determined, isn’t he.”

“He is,” Riku agreed.

“Hey!”

Riku nudged Kairi. “He’s cute when he pouts, isn’t he.”

“He is,” Kairi agreed.

“_Hey!_”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah... okay, I have some explaining to do.  
There was a point, and ideally there still will be in the future, when I wrote original fiction. I had several different ideas, of varying lengths, but I wanted them all to have one thing in common. This character.  
The idea was that no matter how diverse or unrelated the setting, a character either matching the description of, or answering to the name of Time's Champion would appear. Usually even further in the background than this, but always the same person, with the same colour eyes. I hesitate to tell you their real name, because for some reason I want to prevent spoilers for a book series that might never even get written, let alone published, but... let's just say there is only one member of the House of Sannae. (and there's that mystery of what my username means that didn't need solving solved!)   
So, yeah, hopefully he's not too intrusive. The main point is to tell the characters things I've already told you, the audience: that Young Nort's Keyblade is facilitating the time travel. Also, that killing the Norts that are out of time will just send them back to where they're supposed to be; assuming they aren't supposed to be dead. And some cryptic messages! :D No, I will never stop! :D  
Did anyone forget Yeul's prophecy? Did anyone think it meant Vanitas? I'm sure if you give it ten seconds' thought you'll figure out what the point of it is, but hopefully the journey there will be just as much fun if it isn't a surprise to you personally. (and no worries if you can't tell yet; you're not _supposed_ to be able to, but some of y'all are damn perceptive, and I sometimes worry that I overplay my hands)  
I think that's about it! If you were not a fan of this, perhaps you'll be more of a fan of next week's chapter, featuring *takes out megaphone* _**KEYBLADE ARMOUR**_.  
Seeing as I'm not doing a weeklong fic update this year, this is the closest I'll be able to say it! I wish everyone who celebrates it a Merry Christmas, a Happy Chanukah to those who celebrate it, and if you don't have a religious festival happening this week, then have a good week all the same. Until next time!


	9. Well-Suited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Guardians of Light who don't already have it get Keyblade armour. The process is a little bumpy.

It was always something serious when people were called in to Yen Sid’s study, and the more people involved, the more serious it was. This time, the sorcerer had assembled everyone; even Isa was standing towards the back of the room, and the three fairies were floating in front of the door to their room.

All attention, however, was on the newcomer. A giant of a man with shoulders almost as broad as he was tall, with greyish-brown skin and greying red hair and beard stood next to Yen Sid’s desk, holding a large case. One of the man’s legs was a pillar that reminded Sora, Aqua, Terra, and Ven of the architecture they’d seen in Olympus. The man glowed with a faint aura that looked, to Sora, somehow familiar.

“Hey, are you from Olympus?” Sora asked, jumping right in as always. “You kind of remind me of my friend Hercules!”

The man seemed to jump a bit, like he wasn’t expecting to be addressed. “Yes, um, he’s my, um–” He looked uncomfortable being the centre of attention.

“This is Hephaestus, Olympian God of the Forge,” Yen Sid interrupted. “He is here with us today because not long ago, I commissioned a project from him.”

“A project?” Riku asked, but there was a light in Ven, Terra, and Aqua’s eyes.

“It’s armour, isn’t it?” Ven asked, excited. “You made everyone who doesn’t have it armour!”

Hephaestus broke into a smile, clearly relieved to be talking about something he was familiar with. “Yes, yes, that’s right.” He lifted a large crate that had been standing beside him onto Yen Sid’s desk and opened it. “In times long past, I would forge armour for Keybearers; although this is the first time I’ve been contacted in quite some time. I am glad to see my efforts will continue to be needed.” He pulled a ring of metal with a flat plate set in the face of it out of the crate.

“Looks kind of different from you guys’s,” Kairi observed, indicating Terra, Aqua, and Ven.

“The, er, shape and style can be modified based on personal preference,” Hephaestus explained. “Colour, as well. But I will need to do fittings, first. If I could have a volunteer?”

Xion stepped forwards before anyone could say anything. “Ah, thank you,” Hephaestus said.

“It’s not going to hurt, right?” Xion said, mostly kidding.

“I assure you, miss, it will not,” Hephaestus said, taking her concern seriously. He clasped the metal ring around her left arm. “If you’ll press the activation plate?”

Xion did so, and the armour formed around her in a flash of light. “Under the belief that this was an urgent request, I used the same designs as I did the last time I was contacted,” Hephaestus said. And it was true. The armour Xion was now wearing looked like a Xion-sized version of Aqua’s armour, save for the colour. Where Aqua’s was a pale purple, Xion’s was red. Where Aqua’s was silver, Xion’s was gold. And where Aqua’s was blue, Xion’s was a salmon pink.

Xion pulled off the helmet and beamed at everyone, excited. Everyone else looked excited, too, with the exception of Roxas, who looked like he was about to be violently sick.

“Roxas? What’s wrong?” Xion asked, concerned.

“…please take it off,” Roxas ground out through gritted teeth.

“I don’t understand, what’s…” Xion started to say, and then realized why the colours were vaguely familiar. “Oh _shit_. Roxas, I’m so sorry, how do I..?!” She fumbled for the activation plate, not finding it. “Shit shit shit _shit shit shit shit!_”

“What’s wrong?” Sora asked, straining to keep Riku’s hands off his ears.

“Roxas?” Lea said, reaching for him, but Roxas pushed his hand away, shaking his head.

There was a blast of light from the side of the room, and Xion’s armour was suddenly a bright, clashing blue. Everyone looked over to see Merriweather, her wand out and pointed at Xion. “Oh, good thinking, my dear!” said Fauna, patting her on the shoulder.

“Roxas?” Xion asked. He’d bent double, and she leaned down to be close to him.

“I’m fine,” he mumbled. “It’s just…”

“I know,” Xion said. “I’m so sorry.”

“Not your fault,” he said. “Just dumb circumstances.”

“Still,” she said, and reached for him.

Roxas allowed the hug, but he still looked shaken. “You two okay? What was that all about?” Lea asked, crouching down to join them.

Roxas shook his head, and Xion looked up at him. “I’ll tell you later,” she said. “Promise.”

Lea’s lip twisted. “All right,” he conceded. “Roxas?”

“I’m fine,” Roxas repeated, standing back up. “Let’s keep going.”

Lea gave him a suspicious look, but stepped back. Roxas took a deep breath, and smiled, and Xion gave him a look that said she didn’t buy it for a second and they’d be having words later.

“My apologies,” Hephaestus said, although he clearly had no idea why the colour had provoked that response. “But if the colour is the issue, that can be easily fixed. Is there a scheme you would prefer?”

Xion pondered this for a second. “Hmm…” She motioned to him, and Hephaestus leaned down so she could whisper in his ear.

“I see,” he said, smiling, and waved his hand.

Xion’ armour… shifted, was the only word for it. The undersuit changed from black to a dark grey, and the parts that had been red changed to black instead. The gold trim remained, though it lightened somewhat, and the pink areas darkened to a rich maroon.

“Better?” Hephaestus asked, smiling.

“I think so,” Xion said, twisting to look down at it. “Roxas?”

He smiled at her, too. “Much better.” There was still a twitch in his jaw that Xion didn’t like, but that would be addressed later.

“How do I turn it off?” she asked Hephaestus. The god walked her through it, and Xion’s armour returned to a band on her arm.

“Can we change what it looks like when it’s collapsed?” she asked.

Hephaestus nodded. “What would you like it to be?”

Xion ended up with a shoulder pauldron on her left shoulder. That seemed to break the floodgates, and Yen Sid had to call for order as Hephaestus couldn’t work with more than one person at a time.

Sora’s armour wound up based on Ven’s, with red as the primary colour and blue as the secondary, with detailing in yellow. He posed Hephaestus with a bit of a puzzler, as he asked not for an armband, but a plate across his chest.

“I want it, you know, close to my heart,” he explained. It took the god a little longer, but Sora eventually had a cuirass covering the left side of his chest under his jacket, with the activation plate set in the middle.

Riku opted for a shoulder pauldron, rerebrace, and vambrace very similar to Terra’s, but on his right arm instead of his left. The armour itself matched the design of Terra’s as well, though it was a bright, burnished silver with brass as a secondary colour.

“Aw, my knight in shining armour is here,” Kairi said, winking at him. Riku blushed.

Kairi’s own armour was, unsurprisingly, bright pink. Modeled after Aqua’s, it had lavender as a secondary colour and a regal gold trim. Also like Aqua, she had opted for twin armour pieces, although hers were shoulder pauldrons and rerebraces. “I like the hips,” she said, smirking, and nearly hip-checked Sora off balance.

“Obviously Aqua needs the room, but the rest of you?” Vanitas muttered, not quite so low that they couldn’t all hear him. Aqua glared at him, but there was a tinge of pink to her cheeks.

Vanitas’s own armour was, to his irritation, modeled after Ven’s. (Hephaestus was apologetic, but the fact was that Vanitas wasn’t tall enough for the Terra design to be practically resized for him.) The main colour was a dark red, with a navy blue for the secondary colour. The detailing, red on Ven’s armour, was on Vanitas’s a dark grey. It gave both Ven and Aqua pause for a second, as it was essentially the same colour pattern as his dark suit. “What?” he asked them. “I like the palette.” He pulled off the helmet and frowned at the horns. “Helmet could use some work, though,” he muttered.

“If you find a piece of armour that you prefer, the suit can assimilate it into itself,” Hephaestus put in.

“Wait, really?” Ven asked. “Could ours do that the whole time?”

“Mine did sprout a cape for no reason I can think of,” Terra muttered.

Vanitas had settled on a gauntlet with the activation plate on the back of the palm for the collapsed form. He caught Aqua staring at it with a disgruntled look in her eye. “What? It’s _fashion_,” he said, waving at her mockingly.

“It’s asymmetrical,” Aqua muttered.

“I know,” Vanitas said, still mocking.

“It _bugs me_,” she said, even quieter.

Vanitas dropped his voice to the same level. “_I know_.”

Lea, meanwhile, had gone for a cuirass in a similar style to Sora, though his armour was based on Terra’s. “Not bad, huh?” he asked Isa.

Isa lifted an eyebrow. “Might I suggest painting just one of the horns green?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lea asked, putting his hands on his hips. The primary colour of his armour was orange like his jacket. The secondary colour was bronze, and the detailing was bright pink copper. It was, unfortunately, kind of an eyesore.

“You bear a shocking resemblance to a pumpkin,” Isa said, a grin pulling at the corners of his mouth.

“Oh, laugh it up,” Lea grumbled. Isa chuckled, then frowned. “What’s up?”

“I believe… I have to go check on something,” Isa said, still frowning. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

“Okay,” Lea said, confused. “You know you can tell me if something’s bugging you, right?”

“Of course,” Isa said, “but it’s not me. This time.” With that, he left the room.

Lea stared after him. “Sometimes, I just don’t understand you,” he murmured.

“What do you think?” Naminé asked Xion. “Too much?”

She had chosen a gorget for her collapsed armour design, with the activation plate centred on her chest. Her armour, when fully deployed, was a little boy blue with a blue-grey undersuit. The secondary colour was a pearlescent ivory that was closer to being blue than to being white. The trim was gold.

Xion shook her head. “No, I think it looks fantastic, Nam! You like the blues, huh?”

Naminé shrugged. “Wearing them more than having them.”

Xion laughed, then looked around the room and frowned. “Wait… where’d Roxas go?”

The door opened slowly behind him, and Roxas shook his head. “I’m fine, I just needed some air. You can go back in and–” He broke off, startled, as Isa sat down next to him.

“What the fuck do _you_ want?” he demanded instead.

“Something is bothering you,” Isa said.

“And you give a shit because…?” Roxas said, irritated.

“Because your wellbeing is important to Lea,” said Isa.

“Uh-huh. Fuck off, I’m fine.”

“You’ll excuse me if I don’t believe you.”

“No, actually, I won’t excuse you. Fuck off,” said Roxas. He’d come out to this balcony to be alone with his thoughts, to try to calm down. He was steadfastly ignoring the fact that, with the way his head was swirling, the two were somewhat mutually exclusive.

Besides, if there was someone he wanted there with him, it wouldn’t be _Isa_ of all people.

Isa considered his request. “No.”

Roxas rolled his eyes. “That’s all you can say to me, huh? Should’ve fucking figured.”

“Why I ever let Lea influence your vocabulary I have no idea,” Isa deadpanned.

Roxas’s temper flared. “Oh, and now it’s my language choices? Is nothing I do ever correct in your eyes?! Excuse me if I talk the way I _fucking_ want.” He stood up. “I don’t need this shit. Fuck you.”

“…How are you feeling?” Isa said.

“Fucking angry at you, what do you fucking think?” Roxas said. Rage had curled his lips into a sneer.

“And that’s it?”  
“Oh, what, am I supposed to like you now that you’ve pissed me off?” Roxas barked.

“No,” said Isa, “but I would have hoped that it would have taken your mind off of what was bothering you.”

“What the fuck are you–” Roxas started to say, then realized. He was so angry with Isa, he’d been brought right out of his depressive funk over Xion.

His eyes narrowed. “Am I supposed to be _grateful_?”

Isa shook his head. “No, ideally you would be under less mental turmoil.”

Roxas sat back down. “I want to hit you.”

“If that would make you feel better,” Isa said.

“Why do you give such a shit if I feel better?!” Roxas demanded. “You’ve never cared about my _feelings_ before!”

“And I was in the wrong then,” said Isa. “But more to the point… I know why the sight of Xion in pink armour triggers such a strong reaction in you. And I am partially to blame for it.”

“And you think this _fixes it?_” Roxas demanded.

Isa turned to meet his furious glare. “No,” he said, simply. “No, I do not think this fixes it. I do not think I can make up for the way I treated you and those you care about in the first year of your life. But what I _can_ do is try to be better now.”

Roxas turned away and drew his legs up to his chest. “And if I say it isn’t enough?”

Isa sat back. “Then it isn’t enough, and that’s fair. Your reaction, quite honestly, has nothing to do with whether I should make the effort or not. You’re well within your rights to throw those efforts back in my face and not accept them.”

Roxas considered this. “And if I want to punch you in the face?”

“I would prefer you didn’t, but if you must, I won’t stop you,” Isa said.

Roxas gritted his teeth. “You know that just pisses me off? I can’t do it if you’re not going to fucking _fight back_.”

“I fail to see how that would be helpful,” Isa said.

“You’d be surprised at how cathartic it can be,” Roxas muttered.

“Indeed. Yet I have no desire to hurt you anymore.”

Slowly Roxas raised his head. “‘Anymore’?”

A muscle twitched in Isa’s jaw. “…My best friend replaced me with you.”

“You weren’t a very good friend,” Roxas said.

Isa allowed the barb. “No, I was not. It still… hurt.”

“I thought Nobodies didn’t have feelings,” Roxas said, mocking.

“I did as well,” Isa said. “And we both know we were lied to.”

“Pretty rich coming from the guy doing the lying,” Roxas said.

“A fair point,” Isa conceded. “Though I believed it was true.”

Roxas scoffed, but let him continue.

“I must confess I… was pleased when you left. One way or another, I would be rid of you. Lea would…”

“…would never have forgiven you if you’d killed me, or had me turned into a Dusk,” Roxas said, softly.

“No, he would not have,” Isa acknowledged. “But I thought he would get over it. Can one year overturn a lifetime? I did not believe it so, and I was wrong.”

Roxas’s mouth twisted. “…He never gave up on you,” he said. “Even when there was nothing he could do directly, he stayed with you, tried to reach you.”

“And if he hadn’t I might not be here now,” Isa said, nodding slowly.

“…The way he feels about you, and the way he feels about us, are two different things,” Roxas said, quietly. “We couldn’t replace you in his heart. There’s no overlap.”

Isa arched an eyebrow. “I would assume there is an overlap in the sense that we are all his friends.”

“Well, yeah, _that_,” Roxas said dismissively. “But doesn’t that go without saying?”

“There are many things left unsaid that would have made things simpler if they were said,” Isa said. “I trust that is a lesson you’ll learn despite the lack of a good example.”

“I’m sure Xion and I will muddle through somehow,” Roxas deadpanned. He sighed. Against all odds, his mood had actually lightened. “Isa? I do feel better now. Still want to kick you in the dick, though.”

To his surprise, Isa chuckled at that. “It would be amusing to see you try,” he said.

Roxas rolled his eyes. “…you’re here because me being upset upsets Axel?” he asked.

“Yes.”

Roxas sighed. “Kingdom Hearts help me, but I think I’m starting to believe it. Gross.”

“…You still need to get fitted for your armour,” Isa said, changing the subject.

Roxas leaned back and groaned. “Isa, I’ve been wanting to tell you this for years. _Fuck off, I don’t have to do what you tell me_.”

“There you are! Everything okay?” Xion asked as Roxas and Isa reentered the room.

“…Sort of. Can we talk tonight?” Roxas replied.

Xion hugged him. “Of course.”

“Did you go and talk with him?” Lea asked Isa.

“Yes,” Isa said. Lea was giving him a funny look. “What?”

“Nothing, just surprised you don’t have a black eye,” Lea said. Isa rolled his eyes.

Hephaestus cleared his throat. “Are you ready for your turn, young man?”

Roxas nodded, and stepped forwards.

For obvious reasons, Roxas’s armour was modeled on Ven’s. The primary colour was ivory, the secondary silver, and the trim a dark, matte grey. For its collapsed form, Roxas chose a vambrace on his left arm.

“You look handsome,” Xion said, kissing his cheek.

“Thanks,” Roxas said, smirking.

Hephaestus clapped for attention. “Ah, now that everyone is settled, I believe my job here is done. Master Yen Sid, if there are any complications, you know where to find me.”

Yen Sid nodded. “I thank you for your assistance, my lord.”

“We all do!” Sora added.

Hephaestus shook his head, smiling sheepishly. “It’s just what I do. Αντιο σας!” With that, he stepped backwards, and vanished with the sound of a hammer hitting steel.

The group slowly dispersed, and Lea went over to check on Roxas despite his protestations of being fine. Isa looked on, until Lea grabbed him by the arm and pulled him along with the three of them.

“Let me ask again. Are you okay?”

Roxas considered the question. It was much later, and the Tower had gone to bed. He was lying in Xion’s arms, with his head pressed against her chest. She was gently stroking his hair.

“I am _now_,” he said eventually. “This helps. I just…” He bit his lip, but continued. “For a second there… one of us was going to die, and I was terrified it was going to be you again.”

She cuddled his head to her chest. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “We’re right here now. We’re alive, we’re safe.”

Roxas laughed. There was no humour in it. “We’re not safe, Xion. Not yet. _You’re_ not safe. And I’m…” his voice broke. “I’m so scared that I’m going to lose you again.”

Xion could feel a wet spot against her skin. “I’m scared, too,” she admitted. “I’m sorry, I can’t help you not be scared. But right now, it’s just us here. Right now, nothing is going to happen. Right now, we’re just in bed together. Right now, we’re safe. Tomorrow is tomorrow’s problem. We’re at now, now.”

Roxas sniffed. “I don’t know how many more ‘now’s we’re going to get.”

“I don’t, either. But we have this one right now,” said Xion.

“…and I’m ruining it,” Roxas muttered.

Xion frowned, and slapped him.

“Hey!” Roxas said, rubbing the sore spot.

Xion grabbed his hand and pulled him up to where he could see her face. “You’re not ruining anything. We both get scared, we both reassure each other, it’s what we do.”

“Okay,” Roxas muttered.

Xion slapped him again.

“Ow!”

“Don’t ‘okay’ me. Any time spent with you, no matter what the circumstances, are the happiest parts of my life.” Smiling faintly, Xion stroked his cheek with her free hand. “Even if it’s consoling you. Even if it’s needing to be consoled.”

Roxas considered this, and nuzzled into her hand. “I love you, Xion.”

“I love you, too, Roxas,” Xion said. She let go of his hand, and let him cuddle back into her chest. Smirking, she brought her hand down again.

“Ow! Hey, what was that one for?”

“That one was because I like spanking you,” Xion said, matter-of-factly.

“Well I’m glad _you_ enjoy it,” Roxas muttered.

Xion ran her hand up and down his back. “And you don’t?”

“…shush,” Roxas mumbled, and Xion laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _**Right down the road!**_ And now that I've made a reference only a small number of people will get, let's get to it!  
Hephaestus's design here is a mix between how he looked in the Hercules movie and the tv show. Also, since I've never seen the show, I did my best attempt at his personality based on what was on his Disney wiki page. Hopefully it scans.  
I also have a lot of referencing to do! Kairi's armour placement is based on [this](https://julls.tumblr.com/post/183369891957/kairi-redraw-longshort-hair-versions) art by [jull](https://julls.tumblr.com/) (note this tumblr is slightly nsfw)(as far as tumblr can be nowadays at any rate). Riku's colour palette, if not the armour design, is based on [this](https://clandestineknight.tumblr.com/post/182990438724/off-to-save-his-boy-again-i-just-finished-khiii) art by [clandestineknight](https://clandestineknight.tumblr.com/). Finally, Xion and Naminé's designs (and Xion's palette) are based on [this](https://twitter.com/pillowboat/status/1100687811869437952?s=19) art by [ pillowboat](https://twitter.com/pillowboat)(these ones're twitter links). If it's not clear from the text, Xion's initial armour colours match her final boss form from Days, which is why Roxas has such an issue; it was kind of traumatic for him.  
This Roxas and Isa talk has been coming for a while! Sorry if you thought they were going to fight it out with weapons. Roxas has learned his lesson from last time.  
I think that's about everything I'm willing to talk about! Remember that it's the first half of the acronym that Roxas and Xion are interested in, not the back half; and if you don't know what this means, I'll tell you when you're older. Next time... I think it's time for some adult activities. Of a different kind.  
I promise it's not as bad as that sounds, and that the rating on this fic isn't changing. Until next time!


	10. Friends Who Do Stuff Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aqua and Lea touch base again now that Terra and Isa have returned, while engaging in an adult activity

“Lea.”

Lea looked up from the window. He was watching Roxas watch Isa and Xion practice. Trust would come eventually, he was sure, even if it was slow.

Aqua was standing behind him. With a small grin, she asked, “Want to do an adult activity with me?”

Across the room, Terra coughed into his glass of water.

“I’m gonna assume you mean spend the evening getting drunk together again?” Lea asked, a bit louder than was absolutely necessary so that Terra didn’t have a heart attack.

Aqua nodded, and pulled a bottle of wine out of… somewhere Lea couldn’t see. “I made a run over to Radiant Garden; they know I’m old enough to drink,” she added, in an undertone.

Lea smirked. “Did someone get asked for ID in Twilight Town?”

She rolled her eyes. “Tifa said this bottle should be good, so shall we?”

Lea nodded. “After you.”

“She also told me about a game I’d like to try?”

“A game? Ooh, tell me more.”

Terra watched them leave, frowning. “I could have _sworn_ he was gay.”

In the kitchen, Aqua set the bottle down on the table and set a glass each in front of herself and Lea. Lea filled two glasses of water and brought them over as well. He lifted an eyebrow at what Aqua set on the table next. “Shot glasses?”

Aqua nodded, smirking. “You didn’t think we were going to play without some consequences, did you?”

“What consequences?” Lea asked, intrigued.

As he grabbed food and internally promised to actually eat it this time, Aqua placed another bottle on the table. “We take turns asking each other questions. If the answerer doesn’t want to answer, they take a shot instead.”

Lea’s eyes widened. “Is that vodka?”

Aqua shrugged. “The wine is for fun. The vodka is for penalty. You don’t have to have any of it... if you answer my questions.” She flashed a mischievous grin.

Lea sat down, shaking his head. “This feels like a Kairi plan.”

“She’s going to be a holy terror once she’s old enough to drink,” Aqua agreed. “So... ready?” she added as Lea sat down.

“First, eat,” he said, pushing her plate over to her. “Let’s avoid a hangover if we can, this time.”

“Fine, _Dad_,” Aqua teased. Lea gave her a long-suffering look, and she snickered as she took a forkful of the poutine. “Mmmm. Tastes better than it sounds on paper.”

“Right? Second...” Lea took his wineglass and took a long sip. “All right, shoot.”

“Let’s start with something easy. Why is the d-word banned?” Aqua asked.

Lea glared. “Because there are certain connotations it has nowadays that I’m fairly certain _Xion_ of all people knows about, and those connotations squick me the fuck out. So, better that the phrase is banned entirely.”

Aqua nodded. “A fair and valid argument.” She sipped her own drink.

“My turn?” Lea asked, and Aqua nodded. “Why is the m-word banned?”

Aqua frowned. “The m-word?”

“_Mooooom_,” Lea said, smirking at her.

Aqua rolled her eyes. “Because I’m not anyone’s mother, and thinking like I was was part of why Terra, Ven, and I had a communications breakdown. Plus, Vanitas only does it to mock me.”

“You sure about that?” Lea asked, teasing.

Aqua, caught mid-sip of her water, shook her head. “Nope, you had your question, it’s my turn now.”

“Hey, that doesn’t count-“

“How do you _really_ feel about the fact that Roxas and Xion have been sharing a room for months?” Aqua interrupted.

Lea narrowed his eyes. “How do I ‘really’ feel?”

“You heard me,” Aqua said, sipping her drink again.

Lea huffed. “They’re babies. I try not to think about what they do in private as much as possible.”

“They’re sixteen,” Aqua said, amused.

“Less than three years ago I was explaining to them how to tie their shoes – or I would’ve been, if we didn’t all wear boots,” Lea growled. “Like you wouldn’t freak out if Ven got a girl-slash-boy-slash-nonspecific-gendered-friend and disappeared with them for hours on end.” It was, Aqua noted, carefully phrased to not be a question.

“As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t,” she replied, “because Ven in particular gets... what was the word you used? Oh, right. He gets ‘squicked’, as you put it, by sex.”

Lea blinked. “Oh. Good to know.” A devilish light appeared in his eye. “My turn. Have _you_ had sex before?”

Aqua glared at him, and eyed her shot glass, but eventually muttered, “No.”

“Wait, so last time when you thought I was propositioning you, you hadn’t–?”

“That sounds like a question and you already got your one,” Aqua snapped.

“That’s an answer, though, and I’m touched,” Lea said, amused.

Aqua grumbled into her glass. “If that’s how you want to play it, same question. Have _you_ had sex before?”

It was Lea’s turn to eye his shot glass, but he didn’t touch it. “Yes.”

Aqua blinked. “That... wasn’t the answer I was expecting.”

Lea shrugged. “It was back in the Organization. I was over 18. There’s not much of an emotional connection when you don’t have emotions, but I went thought the motions. Of sex,” he added, as an afterthought. “Not of romance.”

“Oh,” said Aqua. He could see the “Why” burning in her eyes, but she had excellent discipline.

He decided to throw her a bone. “Because virginity is a dumb bullshit social construct that doesn’t actually matter, but when you haven’t felt anything for three years, you try harder to find things that’ll make you feel something. Even if it’s not with the person you’d most wanted it to be.”

Aqua leaned forwards in her seat. Despite her protestations to the contrary, there was definitely a “Mom” look in her eye, the one that said “You had better keep explaining.” Impressive, Lea reflected, how she could ask “who” without saying anything.

“Guy you’ve probably never met. I never found out what his name was before the Organization. We called him Demyx.” Lea sipped his drink. “It was fine. Guy was oddly accommodating, usually he was a lazy bastard.”

“I see,” Aqua said. The name meant nothing to her, of course.

“My question now, right?” Lea said, and Aqua nodded. “Have you ever met anyone you were interested in?”

“Interested in a dating way or interested in a… sex way?” Aqua asked, reddening a bit.

“Would those be different answers?” Lea countered, smirking. “I’ll go easy on you. Dating.”

Aqua took a deep breath. “There was this one guy I met. He actually… asked _me_ out on a date.”

“Oh?” Lea asked, leaning over the table.

“I turned him down.”

“Oh.” Lea sat back. “Not your type?”

Aqua shook her head. “This was while I was trying to get Ven safely back home and figure out what Terra was doing. I didn’t have time for a date. It wasn’t that I didn’t think he was… I mean… I…” She broke off, blushing.

“I getcha,” Lea said, nodding. “After everything’s said and done with Xehanort, though, who knows?”

“I… it’s been thirteen years, I can’t just go up to him and say ‘hey you asked me out once a decade and a half ago, is that still open?’ He’d be about the same age as you are, anyway, so he probably has someone and I don’t want to… ugh.” Aqua trailed off. “I don’t even know what world he was really from. I met him in Olympus, but I don't think he was native to that world either.”

“You have a name?” Lea asked.

“Zack,” Aqua said. “I didn’t catch a surname.”

Lea shook his head. “No one I know. Maybe go ask around Olympus once we’re done here?”

“Maybe,” Aqua agreed, though she didn’t sound all that enthused.

Lea nudged her arm with his glass. “Your turn.”

Aqua pursed her lips. “…Who was it that you actually wanted your first time to be with?”

Lea reached for his shot glass and downed it. The alcohol burned as it went down his throat, and he coughed, carefully putting the glass back down.

“Fair enough,” said Aqua. She pushed his plate towards him and he took a few forkfuls. “Your turn again.”

Lea couldn’t cast aside the sense that Aqua had won somehow. “Okay. How do you _really_ feel about Vanitas?”

Aqua glared at him, and to his surprise, reached for her shot glass as well. He reached over and patted her back through the ensuing coughing fit, and nudged her water glass closer. “All right, touchy subject. Got it.”

“He’s an asshole… but he’s trying. And sometimes…” Aqua muttered. “Sometimes… I really see that he’s the same as Ven, deep down. It’s just been smothered by the abuse he went through.” She coughed again.

“Hey, thought you said taking the shot means we don’t have to answer,” Lea said. Aqua gave him a very tired look, and he decided to drop it. “You’re up.”

Aqua took a deep breath. “The reason I wanted to do this with you was because you’ve seemed to be in a mood since Isa got back. So, what I really wanted to ask you was, how are you feeling?”

Lea went silent. He took the vodka bottle and refilled both of their shot glasses, and sighed. “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to talk about it,” Aqua said, gently.

“Are you worried about me?”

The question surprised her, but she covered it well. “Of course I am, Lea. We’re friends. If something’s bothering you, you can tell me. No matter what it is.”

Lea chuckled. “You know what, Aqua? You might not be one now, but I can see you as one hell of a mother one day.”

Aqua blushed, but shook her head. “Are you dodging the question?”

“A little bit,” Lea said, and sipped his water. “Fine.” He sighed. “Even though I knew I shouldn’t, even after everything that happened between us, even after every bridge that burned… I was still hoping that he might like me back.”

“And he doesn’t?” Aqua asked, gently.

“There’s this girl that he wants to save. He promised. He spent ten years trying to find her,” Lea said.

“That’s not proof he’s not interested in you,” Aqua pointed out.

“Well then what I am supposed to think?!” Lea demanded. “We let our friendship fall apart, but he kept up the search for this girl! She might not even be alive anymore after all these years! But he still wants to find her! He hasn’t given up on her! But–” Lea cut himself off. There were tears leaking out of the corners of his eyes, but Aqua chose to ignore them.

“Do you feel like he gave up on you?” she asked, softly.

“…I gave up on _him_,” Lea muttered.

“Last time I asked you, you said you looked at what was between the two of you with fresh eyes after Roxas and Xion came into your life, and realized that at that point, it wasn’t friendship anymore,” Aqua said. “Saïx and Isa might be very close, but they aren’t _exactly_ the same people. If Axel was Lea without a conscience, then Saïx was Isa without one, too.” Gently, she reached over and rubbed his back.

“Something broke,” Lea said, trying and not quite succeeding to keep the sob out of his voice. “Something broke and it shouldn’t have.”

“It’s the same for Terra, Ven, and me,” Aqua said. “Something broke. But if everyone involved wants to repair it, it can be made whole again. Not fixed, necessarily; it’ll never be the same as it was. But it can be whole.”

“If everyone involved wants to repair it,” Lea repeated, a touch mocking.

“Have you had any indication he doesn’t want to be your friend anymore?” Aqua asked.

“…No,” Lea conceded. “Fact is the first thing he asked me is if we were still friends.”

“Then I’d say you’re on the right track,” Aqua said. “From here, there are two paths. Either he also wants something more with you, or he doesn’t. Either way, it’s too early to start walking either of those paths right now. All you can do is focus on getting to know one another again.”

Lea sniffed. “Like I said. Damn good mom.”

“You’re drunk,” Aqua said, rolling her eyes.

“Was that not the point?” Lea asked. There was a hint of teasing in his eyes that gave Aqua some measure of relief. “Thanks.”

“Anytime, Lea.” She patted his back again. “It’s your question, if you want it.”

“Oh.” Lea sat up and stretched. “Fair’s fair. How are you doing with Terra being back?”

Aqua nodded. “Not as… stressed, I guess it how to phrase it, as you’ve been with Isa being back. Terra and I aren’t… we’re basically siblings.”

“Right,” Lea said, nodding along.

“I missed him,” Aqua said. “He’s my best friend. Although I had kind of forgotten how much of a jerk he can be just for the sake of it.”

“Ah, he’s not just your brother, he’s your _big_ brother,” Lea said, smirking.

“For better or worse,” Aqua agreed, rolling her eyes. She smiled. “It’s good to have him back.”

“And good not to be sharing a room with someone else?” Lea asked, innocently.

Aqua flushed. “Is it too late to take the shot?”

“No, but I’ll take that question as an answer in and of itself,” said Lea.

“You’re a jerk,” Aqua muttered. “But I’m glad we’re friends.”

She looked up as Lea sniffed again. “Don’t mind me, just… cutting onions.”

“Onions, huh,” Aqua said, smirking.

“They get everywhere,” Lea said, nodding seriously. “Your turn to ask a question.”

“All right,” Aqua said, and smiled.

It was late, and eventually Isa had called a halt, sending Xion and Roxas to bed. He was begrudgingly starting to like both of them more and more; under the understandable hatred, Roxas was actually somewhat endearing, and Xion was somehow a human ray of sunshine.

There was a clearing of the throat behind him, and Isa stopped. Turning back, he saw a figure standing in the doorway of the common room.

Terra took a hesitant step forwards. “Hey, Isa.”

“…Terra,” Isa said, neutrally.

“Um… would you like to talk?” Terra asked, looking a bit uncomfortable.

“Talk,” Isa repeated.

“Yeah… we… kind of have… history?” Terra tried.

Isa let out a breath. “Is this for your benefit, or are you under the impression that it would be for mine?”

“Uh… hopefully for both of ours?”

Isa considered this, then nodded. “I don’t see why not,” he said, and followed Terra into the common room.

They sat down together on one of the couches, each of them taking an opposite end. The poetry of the literal gulf between them didn’t go unnoticed by Terra, although he didn’t find it all that amusing. “I wanted to apologize to you.”

“Apologize to me,” Isa repeated.

“Yeah. For… everything that happened to you, everything that _has_ happened to you, over the past decade or so,” Terra explained. “You and Lea both.”

Isa leaned forwards on the couch. “Do you hold yourself responsible for what happened to Lea and myself?”

Terra looked down at his feet. “Yeah, in a way I kind of do.”

“Would it surprise you to learn that I blame Xehanort for it, not you?”

Terra blinked. “But... if it wasn’t for me...”

“Going back up the causal chain like that is pointless,” Isa interrupted. “The fact of the matter is that Xehanort committed the transgressions against Lea and myself. The sequence of events by which he arrived in Radiant Garden in a position to do us harm is, in my opinion, irrelevant. No matter how integral to said sequence your involvement was.”

Terra bit his lip. “If that’s the case... then, why did you and Lea agree to work for him?”

“We wanted our hearts back,” Isa replied. “Xemnas was offering a way to do that. Our choices were to work with him, or try to recover our hearts on our own. That, and... staying close to Xemnas made it more likely that we could... that _I_ could... find someone.”

“Find someone?” Terra asked.

Isa seemed to tighten somehow. “Yes. Another test subject. A girl around our age.”

“Ah, I see,” Terra said knowingly. “Someone you were interested in?”

Isa blinked at him. “I don’t understand the question.”

“Someone you had romantic feelings for?” Terra elaborated.

“...I had only met her the once,” Isa said, slowly. “I do not even know her name.”

Terra noted that this was neither confirmation nor denial. “Then why was it so important that you find her?”

“She asked me to help her,” Isa said simply. “She had obviously been a test subject far longer than we had. We – Lea and myself – were the only hope she had.”

“But Lea didn’t know?” Terra asked.

Isa shook his head. “The reason for my search came as news to him when I returned to myself. He must have been unconscious or delirious on the occasion of our meeting.”

Terra leaned back. “I’m the last one who should be throwing stones about this, but... over ten years, you never tried to talk to him? To explain?”

“I...” Isa said, and stopped. “After a point I didn’t think he would believe me. I had convinced myself that he had given up on her, not realizing he had never known to begin with. It is... difficult, to continue to care without a heart.”

“I wonder how much of that was Xehanort eating away at you,” Terra murmured. “I’m guessing that was after the–” he indicated the scar.

“It was,” Isa confirmed. “There is no way to know. And I do not wish to blame my poor conduct on an outside force.”

Terra nodded. “Trust me, I can understand that.” He let out a long breath. “Do you understand why I want to apologize, given that?”

Isa considered this. “Yes, I believe I do, Terra,” he replied. “Do you understand why I believe no apology is necessary?”

Terra grinned. “Yes, I think I do, Isa.” To his delight, Isa matched his grin with a small smile of his own. The tension seemed to have faded out of the room somehow. “How are you doing, being yourself again? I had a bit of adjusting to do.”

“I had the dubious benefit of remaining in my body as time passed, so I’ve not had the balance issues I’ve heard you suffered,” Isa replied. “Nor the… darkness, issues.” He looked like he wasn’t sure if the subject was sore or not.

Terra nodded, since it wasn’t. “Trust me, I wouldn’t wish them on anyone. How are things with Lea?”

“…surprisingly civil,” Isa said. His gaze wandered across the room.

“Surprisingly?” Terra asked.

“We… did not part on the best terms,” Isa said. “It is… surprising… to me that he still wishes to be my friend.”

Terra tilted his head; Isa was still not looking at him, and didn’t see it. Call him crazy, but “friends” wasn’t the word Terra would use to describe what Lea wanted to be with Isa. At least, from his perspective.

“Mind if I ask a personal question?” Terra said.

Isa shrugged.

“Are you sure friends is all you want to be with Lea?”

Isa slowly raised his gaze from the coffee table to the bookshelves. “It’s late, we ought to head to bed.”

Which was a dismissal if Terra had ever heard one. “All right,” he said, and stood up. “I know it might be odd, but if you need someone to talk to…”

Isa turned to look at him, and slowly nodded. “Terra? Thank you. It is… novel, to have my well-being cared about by someone I’ve only just met.”

Terra smiled. “But good?”

Isa considered this. “But, good.”

They were on their way back to the dormitory floor when Terra heard the sound of laughter from the kitchen. He tapped Isa on the shoulder, and the two slowly eased the door open.

“No, I’m s-s-serious, he really apologized for ‘pushing her buttons’,” Lea was saying, although he was barely intelligible through his own laughter and over the sound of Aqua’s.

“S-s-so what did you tell him, that it had sexual connotations?” Aqua sputtered.

“No! Of course not! I just sat there all awkward!” Lea said, waving his hand around.

“And now, all this time later, he’s stilllllll pushing her buttons,” Aqua said, leering at him.

Lea clapped his hands to his face. “Fuck’s sake, Aqua, _don’t_.”

“But he _totally _is,” Aqua continued. “Or maybe _she’s_ pushing _his_ – Oh.” She looked up at Terra and Isa. “When’d you guys come in?”

“A couple seconds ago,” Terra said, watching Aqua weave back and forth and putting the pieces together. “Are you two drunk?”

“Yeah. He’s gay and won’t fuck me,” Aqua said, jerking her thumb at Lea. “So next best thing.”

“Hey I resemble that rem…re… what you said,” Lea slurred.

“…Okay,” Terra said, slowly. “I think… maybe… you two have had enough.”

Aqua pouted. “But Terrrrrraaaaaaa.”

“Yep, you’ve definitely had enough,” Terra said, shaking his head. “Isa, mind giving me a hand with them?”

“To their rooms?” Isa asked, already moving to help Lea out of his chair.

“I think that’d be best, yeah.”

“Heyyyyyyyy,” Lea said, leaning back and grinning as Isa approached him. “What’s a cutie like you doing in a place like this?”

“I live here,” Isa deadpanned. “We’re still in the kitchen, Lea.”

Lea’s face froze and turned to horror. “Shit. Sorry, Isa, didn’t realize it was you. Sorry. You don’t need me being all… sorry. You’ve got that girl, you don’t… I’m sorry.”

“You’ve said that,” Isa replied, pulling him to his feet. “And yet here I am.”

“Ohhhhhhh right,” Aqua said, staggering to her feet. “Terrrra, I’m mad at you.”

“You’re… mad at me?” Terra asked. “Why?”

“Youuuuu said I’m such a girl, sometimes,” Aqua continued, jabbing a finger towards his face… or at least, towards where she thought his face was, some three inches to the right of where it actually was. “Whaddya mean ‘sometimes’, Terra?”

“I’m… sorry about that?” Terra tried. “I didn’t mean to insult you.”

“’m _always_ a girl, Terra.” Aqua kept going, ignoring him. “Jus cause we’rr like siblings doesn’t mean I don’t _count_ as a girl! Here, I can _prove_ it!” To Terra’s horror, she reached for the hem of her shirt.

He grabbed her wrists just before more than a thin line of skin could peek out. “That’s okay, Aqua, I fully believe you,” he said quickly. Aqua pouted.

“Wait, but having boobs wouldn’t prove anything,” Lea said, stumbling out of Isa’s grip to lean on Aqua and Terra’s shoulders. “Sometimes guys have boobs. Right, Isa?”

“That is… true,” Isa said, slowly.

“Oh,” Aqua said, and seemed to think for a moment. “Okay.”

Terra managed to grab her wrists again as she dug her fingers into the waist of her pants. “Nope, nope, nope, don’t need to show me that, either, Aqua,” he said, pulling her hands away.

“But Terrrraaaaa…” she whined.

He patted the top of her head. “I believe you. You’re always a girl.”

“Also not having a dick also doesn’t prove anything ’cause some guys don’t have dicks, right Isa?” Lea mumbled.

“I think it’s time for you to go to bed, Lea.” Isa said.

“I think it’s time for _both_ of you to go to bed,” Terra agreed. “Come on.”

With difficulty, the two sober ones managed to escort their friends to bed. “Isa,” Lea called, as Isa moved to leave the room.

“Yes, Lea?” Isa asked, turning back towards him.

“’m sorry. I don wanna make things awkward for you,” Lea mumbled.

Isa took a deep breath, and walked over to his side. “Lea,” he said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “I know how you feel. It’s okay.”

“You sure?” Lea murmured.

“Completely. Now get some sleep. Okay?” Isa said, gently.

“Okay. ‘Nigh…”

“Goodnight, Lea.”

Across the hall, Terra was tucking Aqua in bed. “Hey Terrrraaaa?” Aqua mumbled.

“Yes, Aqua?” Terra asked, ready to prevent her from disrobing again.

“You think someone’s ever gonna want me?”

“…This is a sex question, isn’t it,” Terra muttered.

“Yea.”

Terra sighed. “I’m sure, Aqua. You’ll find someone.” He thought back to Naminé’s sketchbook and suppressed a snicker. “Might be closer at hand than you think.”

“You’re a nice big brother,” Aqua mumbled, and yawned.

“Thank you, Aqua,” Terra said, smiling. “Now go to bed.”

“’m in bedddd,” Aqua pouted.

“Now go to sleep,” Terra corrected.

“’kay,” Aqua murmured. “Gnnnight.”

“Goodnight, Aqua,” Terra said, still smiling, and closed the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_F is for..._**  
You know for someone who doesn't personally drink, I like writing drunk Aqua a whole lot.   
I'm sure if I actually did drink, I could probably come up with a worse punishment than vodka shots, but it is what it is. If it smells like antiseptic solution, it probably doesn't taste great, either.   
I attempted best I could to stick to the unintentional way I wrote drunk Aqua and Lea: Aqua swaps between angry and horny, and Lea is just sad. Fun fact about inebriation, when you're at the level of drunk where you start to be unable to remember things once you sober up, it's possible those memories will come back if you get that exact level of drunk again. So Lea and Aqua didn't get quite as drunk as they did the last time, but they did get drunk enough for Aqua to remember to be mad at Terra.  
This is both the in-canon and out-of-canon reason why the "d-word" is banned. As funny as I find jokes about it, the concept squicks me just as much as it does Lea.   
Way back on KLEA I stated that bowing to a squirrel wasn't the most embarrassing thing Lea had ever done. No one wound up asking me what the most embarrassing thing was, but the answer has always been Demyx. And now you know!  
As for Terra and Isa, Terra can't help it. He's big brother-shaped. It applies to everyone. There's some history that needed addressing there as well, of course. And... never forget that Lea is a dumbass who jumps to conclusions. Nor that Isa is a dumbass who won't be honest about his feelings. Those are two very important facts!  
Oh look, I mentioned Zack... That's a nice, dangling plot thread, huh? But we have a Nort to fight, first.   
Speaking of which! We're now at 11 of 20 chapters! And dear god am I tired of writing fighting. :P But I only have myself to blame, and I will get this done. Maybe not on time. But I will try.   
Next time, a couple other Terra-related conversations that need to happen. Until then!


	11. The Harsh Light Of Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A slip of the tongue leads to a conversation between Terra and Roxas.
> 
> But first, some family bonding.

Terra contemplated the ball in his hand. It was made of darkness, which, a lifetime ago, would have freaked him out. Now, however, it was normal; which in itself was still odd.

Also odd was the scent. This darkness didn’t reek, didn’t cloy. It was the scent of a beachside at night, salt in the air, the barest hint of algae; it was still darkness, after all. It couldn’t be all pleasant to those in the Realm of Light.

Even if it was Riku’s.

“You gonna throw it back, or what?” Riku’s voice came from across the yard. They were out in front of the Tower. Terra had been amused when Riku had approached him and hesitantly asked if he wanted to do something together. He seemed to be collecting little siblings the same way Master Eraqus had once collected books, and he couldn’t be more delighted for it.

“Sorry, just giving it a once-over,” Terra said, lobbing it back to Riku. “Neat trick; Vanitas never taught me how to do that.”

“It was a bit of a spur of the moment thing,” Riku said. “We had… unique circumstances.”

“You think you could show me?” Terra asked. “Seems like a fun thing to be able to do.” He caught the ball out of the air and sent it back to Riku.

“S-sure!” Riku said. Terra had noticed that there was something about his giving Riku attention that embarrassed the other boy. He wasn’t sure why.

There was a simple solution to that. “Hey, Riku?” Terra asked.

“Yes?” Riku replied.

“…is there any particular reason you’re always on edge around me?” Terra asked. Something occurred to him. “Is it the hair?”

Riku, to Terra’s surprise, reddened. “…No, it’s not the hair,” he muttered. “It’s…” He sighed. “Look, can we sit down?”

Terra blinked, confused. “Sure?” He followed Riku over to one of the benches.

Riku sighed again, looking down at his hands. He squeezed the ball of darkness he was still holding. “The reason is… I…”

“If it’s hard to talk about, you don’t have to–”

“I used to have a crush on you,” Riku blurted.

Terra blinked. “…huh?”

“…I didn’t understand until later, but… I thought about you a lot. After you left,” Riku said. His faced, still pointed resolutely down at his feet, was bright red. “...for a long time, I didn’t realize you were... a real person,” Riku admitted. “That day, the day you Bequeathed to me, felt like a dream. It wasn’t until Mickey told us, Sora and Kairi and me, about you and your friends and what happened to you, that I realized I didn’t just... dream you up.”

Terra considered this. “Huh. But... if you thought I wasn’t real..?”

“Look, when a tall guy with soft eyes and nice muscles gives you a sword and tells you to come find him, even if it’s a dream it leaves a... lasting impression,” said Riku. He was boring a hole through the Tower’s floating island with his eyes.

“Even if you’re five?” Terra asked, not skeptical, just bemused.

“Even if you’re five,” Riku confirmed. “Even if it takes you another eight or so years to figure out what the things you’re feeling mean.”

Terra sat back. “Well... I’m flattered, Riku, but...”

“I don’t feel that way anymore!” Riku blurted, hurried. “I - It was a little kid thing, not - I-I-I have Sora, and Kairi, now, I’m not -!”

Terra held up his hands “Whoa, whoa, Riku, it’s okay. Like I said, it’s flattering; if a bit unexpected. I... don’t really think about how I appeal to... other guys.” Seeing the look on Riku’s face, he quickly added, “Not that it upsets me or bothers me or anything! It’s just... new.”

Riku still looked like he was trying to evaporate. Tentatively, Terra reached over and put a hand on his shoulder. “I understand the awkwardness, this being the case,” he said. “It’s okay.”

Riku breathed out a relieved breath. “Please don’t tell Kairi.”

Terra blinked. “Why not?”

“She’ll never let me hear the end of it,” Riku said. The blush, which had slowly faded as he’d calmed down, was back, if muted.

“I’ll try my best,” Terra promised.

Riku rolled his eyes. “That might not be enough. And I won’t blame you if it isn’t. Kairi has a way of needling things out. Sometimes it’s just acting so innocent you forget you weren’t supposed to tell her. And it’s always on purpose.”

“I’ll watch out for that, then,” Terra said, amused. “In the meantime... would you be up for showing me how to make those balls?”

“Oh, sure,” Riku said, and Terra made a mental note not to make a “playing with Riku’s balls” joke at any point. Especially not in front of Kairi. The poor kid might just die from the embarrassment.

The day wore on a bit, and they were eventually joined on the training grounds. Across the way, Roxas, Ven, and Xion seemed to be sparring. Terra was amused – and proud – to see that Ven was holding his own against both of them. He was quick enough that he could dodge completely out of the way of Xion’s... Terra had no idea what to call the giant blade she could turn her Keyblade into. “Sword” just seemed wrong for something so unwieldy and inelegant, not to mention huge. Sora had suggested calling it a “buster sword” for some reason, but it hadn’t stuck.

Regardless of what it was called, and despite the ease with which Xion waved it around, there was still a slowness to it. Terra was half convinced that if Ven wasn’t able to dodge it, it would squash him flat.

Roxas, on the other hand, was almost able to keep up with Ven. His twin short swords moved like one, and Roxas was almost unconsciously pushing Ven into positions where Xion had a clear shot at him.

Luckily, Ven was still more experienced.

He pirouetted away from Xion’s blade, and rapped the back of Roxas’s hand, grinning. Roxas dropped one of the swords, which glowed and changed back into his Keyblade, joining the one in his hand. It clearly still hurt, though, as Roxas let out a loud “FUCK!”

“Language!” Terra called, automatically, before he could stop himself.

Roxas turned and glared at him. “You can’t tell me how to live my _life_ anymore, _Xemna_–”

There was a beat of silence as Roxas’s brain caught up with his mouth. Xion froze. Ven stilled. The ball of darkness Riku was holding dissipated.

“I… uh… I…” Roxas said, and promptly bolted.

“Wait, I’m not–!” Terra started to say, but Roxas was already gone. “I’m not upset,” he murmured to himself, frowning.

“Roxas…” Xion murmured. She shook her head, looking at Terra. “I’m sorry,” she said. “He didn’t mean–”

“No, I know, it’s okay,” Terra assured her. “I’m not upset, I’m just… worried that he is.”

Xion bit her lip. “He’s… always had trouble with remembering people’s real names if we knew them in the Organization, but…”

“Xion, it’s okay,” Terra said, patting her shoulder.

Her lip twisted. “It doesn’t feel okay.”

“I know. But I promise it is,” he said. “Do we know where Roxas went? I should talk to him.”

“There’s a balcony on the side of the Tower,” Ven offered. “I think I’ve seen him up there before.”

“Okay,” Terra said. Riku had stepped up beside them and had offered an arm to Xion, who had nestled into the side-hug. “You going to be okay, Xion?”

“Yeah, I’m just… you know neither of us see you like that, right?” she asked, worried.

Sometimes, even when the answer is evident, people need extra reassurance regardless. “I do.” Terra smiled at her. “I promise. Okay?”

To his relief, she smiled back, if a little shakily. “Okay.” Her smile faded a bit. “This conversation has to be between you and Roxas, huh.”

“I think so. I’m sorry,” Terra said.

She sighed. “If you need me, call. Promise?”

“I promise.”

“Want to go sit down?” Riku asked, rubbing her shoulder.

Xion shook her head. “No, I’d rather keep sparring, if you don’t mind,” she said, looking at Ven. “I’d rather be doing something with my hands.”

Ven nodded. “I get that.” He looked to Terra. “We’ll be okay.”

“All right,” Terra said, and went to go find Roxas.

Like Ven had predicted, Roxas was sitting on a balcony high up on the Tower. He’d left the door open behind him, and Terra gently knocked on it before joining him.

Roxas started. “Oh… hi.”

“Hi,” Terra said, taking care to be neutral.

“…I’m sorry,” Roxas murmured.

“It’s okay,” Terra said, still lingering in the doorway.

“No it isn’t,” Roxas said, staring down at the Tower grounds below.

Slowly, Terra walked over and sat down beside him. “I’m not sure you get how this works,” he said, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Roxas ignored him. “…I’ve always had a hard time keeping people’s names straight if I knew them in the Organization,” he said, softly. “Axel said it was okay to keep calling him that, and no one else cared, but… I’ve been trying not to call Isa “Saïx”. It’s harder than it should be, but he’s not Saïx anymore. It’s worth the effort. So I… it slipped. I’m sorry.”

“Roxas, look at me,” Terra said. Slowly, Roxas did. His eyes were red, and Terra’s heart jolted. Roxas wasn’t Ven, but even if he hadn’t looked identical to Terra’s little brother, the look in his eyes would be enough for Terra to want to gather him in his arms and tell him everything would be okay.

Given the circumstances, he did not do this. Instead, he said, softly, “I’m not bothered, Roxas. But it seems to me that you are. Do you want to talk to me about why?”

Roxas’s lip quivered. “…you’re not Xemnas,” he said. “Not at _all_. So it’s… it’s like… it’s like if I got called Sora. It’s _wrong_.”

“So you’re upset with yourself?” Terra asked, gently. Roxas nodded. “And you don’t get why I’m not upset?” Roxas nodded again.

Terra leaned back. “I think… it’s because I can see bits of myself in Xemnas, somewhat. Not as much as Lea and Isa are like Axel and Saïx, but tiny things. That, plus I knew you had trouble with ex-Nobodies’ names, means I get why it happened. I know it wasn’t on purpose. So, I’m not upset with you. Accidents happen. No harm, no foul.” He leaned back forwards. “I’m more worried about you.”

“Why about me?” Roxas asked.

Terra shrugged. “Because you panicked like you thought I was going to be angry with you. Like… maybe I was going to hurt you.”

“…I knew you weren’t,” Roxas said. “I just…”

“Were upset that you’d said it, even by accident,” Terra finished.

“Yeah.”

“Does it make you feel better knowing I’m not upset with you?”

“…Not really.”

“Still mad at yourself?”

“Yeah.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Whatever.”

“Hey,” Terra said, putting a hand on Roxas’s shoulder. “It’s okay to still be mad. But there’s no reason to be mad at yourself.”

Roxas didn’t move the hand off his shoulder. “I don’t… really need a reason to be mad. I just… am. Always.”

“…I see,” Terra said. “Are you going to be okay?”

“…probably.” Roxas muttered. “It’s just how I am. I just need time.”

“Okay,” Terra said. He still hadn’t taken his hand off of Roxas’s shoulder, and it seemed the younger boy appreciated the contact.

They sat in silence for a bit, which gradually grew more comfortable. Eventually, Roxas asked, “What parts of yourself did you see?”

“Huh?”

“In Xemnas. What parts were you?”

“Oh.” Terra withdrew his hand. He pursed his lips, wondering how much to say. “…There are certain things that… I don’t know how to say it. You know how Lea says Axel was him without a conscience?”

“Yeah?” Roxas asked, lost.

Terra sighed. “There are some things about Xemnas… about the way he acted… that I’m not sure came from Xehanort or from me.”

“Like…?” Roxas asked again.

Terra looked down at his feet, hanging off the balcony. “…the cruelty.”

“Huh?”

Terra still didn’t look at him. “There’s a part of me… hopefully a small one… that likes other people’s suffering.”

Roxas was silent for a couple of seconds. “Well,” he said eventually. “That explains your sense of humour.”

Terra blinked. That wasn’t exactly the response he’d been expecting. “That doesn’t… weird you out?”

Roxas shrugged. “I mean, I knew people like that existed. And you seem to have a healthy release method for it, even if it gets annoying sometimes.”

“How do you…?” Terra asked, and Roxas reddened.

“Um… Xion and I… did some research on… stuff and things… and that sort of thing came up,” he mumbled.

Terra was silent for a moment. “Okay,” he said eventually. “I… don’t think I want any more details. You two are… using protection, right?”

“Protection?” Roxas asked. He froze. “Oh, uh, we’re not doing… we’re not… uh… we will when we…”

“Okay, my bad, I said no more details and then I mentioned things that need details, say no more,” Terra interrupted. Both were bright red.

A knock on the door thankfully derailed the conversation. “Hey, you guys okay?” Kairi asked, stepping through the door. “I heard something happened.”

“Yeah, we’re okay,” Roxas said. “Who’d you hear it from?”

Kairi gestured down towards the training grounds, where Riku, Xion, and Ven were looking up at them. Roxas waved, and gave a thumbs up, and Xion replied in kind, seeming to be relieved. The three went back to sparring.

“I should probably go talk with her,” Roxas said, wistfully. “I don’t want her worried about me.”

“You really care about her, huh,” Kairi said, delighted.

Roxas looked at her and rolled his eyes. “Yes.”

“D’awwww,” Terra teased, and Roxas glared at him for a second, before turning back to watch Xion.

“…she’s beautiful, isn’t she,” he murmured, half to himself.

“I’m not sure Kairi can agree to that objectively,” Terra pointed out.

“Hush,” she said, sticking her tongue out at him. She looked at the lovestruck look on Roxas’s face and chuckled. “‘_And light of stars was in her hair/ and in her raiment glimmering_.’”

“Huh?” Roxas asked, looking at her.

“It’s from a poem by one of my favourite authors,” Kairi explained. “It’s about two lovers, who are thinly veiled allusions to himself and his wife.” She took a deep breath, and recited, “_The leaves were long, the grass was green,_

_The hemlock-umbels tall and fair,_

_And in the glade a light was seen_

_Of stars in shadow shimmering._

_Tinúviel was dancing there_

_To music of a pipe unseen,_

_And light of stars was in her hair, _

_And in her raiment glimmering."_

She took a breath to start the next verse, but before she could, Terra broke in. “_There Beren came from mountains cold,_

_And lost he wandered under leaves_

_And where the Elven-river rolled_

_He walked alone and sorrowing._

_He peered between the hemlock-leaves_

_And saw in wonder flowers of gold_

_Upon her mantle and her sleeves,_

_And her hair like shadow following."_

Kairi blinked. “Wait. You know it, Terra?”

Terra nodded. “I loved those books, too, when I was younger. Naminé tells me there’s movies now?”

“Hey, yeah, I need to make you watch those!” Kairi said, grinning. “They’re great! …mostly!”

Roxas looked between the two of them, nonplussed. “Okay.”

“Oh, sorry, Roxas,” Kairi said.

He shrugged. “Well, it’s not like you’re wrong.” He turned back towards the grounds, following Xion as she spun deflecting Riku’s Keyblade. “_And her hair like shadow following,_” he murmured, half to himself.

Kairi sat back. “You know… there’s a line in that poem that I never got as a kid.” 

“Which one?” Terra asked.

Kairi glanced at Roxas. “So, the poem is about how they get together, and it’s controversial because she’s an immortal elf and he’s a mortal man.”

“‘Man’ is the species?” Roxas asked, skeptical.

Kairi shrugged. “Take it up with the author, not me. Anyway, once she accepts that she’s in love with him… ‘_And doom fell on Tinúviel/That in his arms lay glistening_.’ Like, I got that she was doomed because eventually he would die and leave her to miss him for eternity, but… now, after Sora and Riku… I _get_ it now. Why it would be described as _doom_ when they fall in love.”

“‘I love her, and that is the beginning and end of everything,’” Roxas muttered, still looking at Xion. He looked up upon realizing they were both staring at him. “What? I can quote things, too.” He looked back at her, and stood up. “And I want to go talk to her. If you two’ll excuse me?”

“Go right ahead,” Terra said, and Roxas stood up and headed out the door.

He paused in the entryway. “Terra?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks.”

Terra smiled. “Anytime.”

“You just thrive on being everyone’s big brother, huh?” Kairi said, snickering, as Roxas left.

Terra rolled his eyes. “Someone has to be.”

“Not sure it works like that,” Kairi said.

“It does if I say it does,” Terra replied, smirking. “Better than all of them having crushes on me.”

“Oh?” Kairi said. “_Who_ has a crush on you?” There was an alarming smile making its way across her face.

“…Nobody,” Terra said in the exact same tone of voice, face carefully neutral.

“That’s a fucking lie if I’ve ever heard one,” Kairi said, sweetly.

“Language,” Terra said, just as sweetly.

“Suck my dick,” Kairi replied in the same tone. “Now you’re being evasive. Which means it’s probably Riku.”

“…okay, how?” Terra said, leaning forwards and rubbing his face.

“‘Cause you just told me, silly!” Kairi said, beaming.

“Ugh,” Terra muttered. “Don’t make fun of him. He asked me not to tell you.”

Kairi nodded. “He probably also knew I’d get it out of you eventually.”

“He did say that,” Terra conceded. “Still doesn’t feel great letting him down.”

“Eh, if he didn’t want me to know he wouldn’t have said anything,” Kairi said. “So he has a crush on you?”

“Had,” Terra corrected. “When he was a kid. Apparently I made quite the impression.”

“Well I certainly understand _that_,” Kairi said, winking at him.

Terra frowned. “You’re twelve.”

“I’m sixteen!”

“That’s what I said. Twelve.”

“Fuck off,” Kairi said.

“Language.”

“Stop that!”

Kairi stepped into the room she shared with Sora and Riku that night with a broad smile on her face, which was Riku’s first clue that something dangerous had happened. “Let me take a wild guess here,” he said. “You talked to Terra.”

Kairi nodded, still beaming. “I talked to Terra.”

Riku sighed. “Figures.”

Sora, in bed with Riku already, frowned. “What figures?”

Kairi hopped up on the bed beside them, still widely beaming. “Riiiiiiikuuuuuu,” she said, leaning in close to his face.

“What.”

“Do you have something you want to _fess up_ tooooo?” she said, drawing out the words in a singsong.

Riku sighed again. Sora looked between the two of them. “Uh… am I missing something?”

“…back when I was a little kid, I had a crush on Terra,” Riku admitted, glaring at Kairi. “I didn’t figure out what it was until I realized I liked guys, but that’s what it was. Happy?”

“Yep!” Kairi said, reaching over and mussing his hair. “You’re so _cute_, Riku!”

“Yeah, yeah,” he said, pushing her hand away.

“Isn’t he cute, Sora?” Kairi asked, and they both looked over at their boyfriend.

Sora was lying down, with his arms crossed over his chest, facing away from them. “Yeah, sure.” His tone was alarmingly flat.

“…Sora?” Kairi asked.

“What’s wrong?” Riku added.

“Nothing,” Sora said, but it was muted in a way neither of them liked.

“Sora,” Riku said. “Is this about me having had a crush on Terra?”

“No,” Sora said, but he’d never been good at lying and they both knew him too well regardless.

“Will you turn around and look at us?” Kairi said.

“Don’t wanna,” Sora muttered.

“Okay,” Riku said, and reached over, flipped Sora on his back and leaned overtop of him.

Sora immediately turned bright red. “R-Riku?”

“Please tell me what’s bothering you,” Riku said, staring down at him. Behind them, Kairi was watching partially in amusement, partially with bated breath, wondering if she should run and get popcorn.

“…the first guy you had a crush on was Terra?” Sora asked, not meeting his eyes.

“Yes,” Riku confirmed.

“…so it wasn’t… me?” Sora mumbled.

Instantly Riku and Kairi both understood. “Sora… there’s a difference between having a crush on someone, and falling in love with someone,” Riku said. “Yes, I had a crush on Terra, when I was _five_.”

“He’s very pretty,” Kairi put in.

Sora pursed his lips. “He _is_ very pretty.”

Riku leaned down and kissed his forehead. “You’re _also_ very pretty. I realized I’d had a crush on Terra when I was thirteen… because that’s when I realized I liked boys. Because that’s when I realized I liked _you_.”

“…oh,” Sora said. He was still bright red, but at least he was looking at Riku now.

“So, yes, I had a crush on Terra. But I _fell in love_ with _you,_” Riku said. “Does that make you feel better?”

“…yeah,” Sora admitted, and smiled at him.

“Glad to hear it,” Riku said, and leaned down to kiss him on the mouth.

Kairi sat there, enjoying the show she was being given, and contemplated again if she should go make popcorn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The notes for this one are gonna have to come in chunks! Well. Most of them do, but... let's just get on with it.  
First off, Riku and Terra. Funny story there; see, I never actually planned for Terra and Riku to have a one-on-one conversation in this AU. Blame my not really caring about Terra. However, I realized I didn't have a way to start the Terra and Roxas conversation chapter, which meant I had a perfect slot. As for the content, I know a conversation about Darkness would have made sense, but I'm leery to worldbuild about that sort of thing in a direction away from canon. It just makes it feel less like Kingdom Hearts to me if it doesn't fit the games; which is why I tend to leave stuff vague. On the other hand, discussions about characters' sexualities are fair game! And it makes sense to me that Terra would've been Riku's big gay (bi, technically) awakening.  
Next up, the point of the chapter, what I've been building up to since Lea gave Roxas a pass to call him "Axel": Terra getting called Xemnas. Honestly the hardest part of this was keeping Xion out of the conversation, but this really had to be one-on-one. Rest assured Roxas and her also had a long conversation about this just like last time with the armour. Like last time, there were cuddles. Like last time, there may have not been shirts.  
Which brings me to the part I have to explain. Back when KH3 dropped, I was privy to some discussions regarding Terranort and how his behaviour differed from Xehanort. The thought was that Terranort seemed much more sadistic than vanilla Nort; this was causing a bit of a stir, since if the sadism didn't come from the Xehanort side of the equation, then it must have come... from the Terra side.  
This was causing a stir (I heard) primarily among the TerrAqua shippers, presumably due to Terra being a sadist making the ship "#problematic". My first reaction (aside from pointing and laughing because TerrAqua has supplanted RokuNami as my least favourite KH ship)(it's cool if you like it! I just don't personally!) was confusion as to why one character being a sadist is a problem. "Enjoying someone else's pain" isn't an inherently bad thing. It's just a personality trait. It's the manner in which the trait is expressed (if it is at all) that could potentially be a bad thing. If it isn't expressed, or if it's expressed in a safe, sane, consensual manner, it's not a problem whatsoever.  
So I decided to run with the idea. It doesn't make Terra a bad person. It's not inherently a bad thing. (Fun fact, I've been called both a sadist and a masochist over the course of my life, on two separate occasions. Long stories. To the best of my knowledge, neither is true. I think.)  
On to lighter topics! Such as the excerpt from [The Song of Beren and Lúthien](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11_aneHVaz8). It was kind of in my brain at the time of writing, so I made it work, and now Kairi and Terra have discovered that they're LOTR fans-in-arms. Roxas's quote, on the other hand, is from F. Scott Fitzgerald; not from The Great Gatsby, or any of his other novels, but from a letter to a friend, about his wife Zelda.  
And, of course, Kairi understands Riku's childhood crush _entirely_. Terra might not fit my personal definition of a "himbo" (my personal definition is Brendan Fraser in George of the Jungle), but he's definitely a hunk. He's also a Riku with a Sora palette; which appeals to Kairi in particular.  
And then some nice SoRiKai to round things out! I'm running out of space here in the notes, but I think that about covers it, anyway. Next week, I've accomplished something I've been wanting to do for literal years! Until then!


	12. Committed to Memory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lea and Ven abruptly realize there's unfinished business they've left unsettled.

“Is it weird?” Lea asked Ven.

“Is what weird?” Ven replied.

“Is it weird having met us when we were the same age as you, and now we’re a decade and change older?” Lea clarified.

He, Ven, and Isa were sitting at the kitchen table, nursing a late breakfast. Ven and Lea had gotten back late from a mission the previous night, and Isa had managed to sleep in for once in his life.

Ven shrugged. “I dunno. Is it weird for the two of you that I’m about the same age I was when we first met?”

“A little bit,” Lea said.

Ven grinned. “Am I just some young punk now? Running circles around you two old geezers?”

“Hey, we’re not old,” Lea protested.

“Speak for yourself,” Isa muttered, smirking.

“Oh, come _on_, Isa, I’m only older than you by a month or two!” Lea protested.

“Have you forgotten your own birthday?” Isa asked, amused.

“…Uh…No, of course not!” Lea said.

Isa raised an eyebrow. “You had to think about it.”

“So? It’s been a long time,” Lea muttered. “Like you remember it.”

“…why would I have forgotten your birthday?” Isa asked.

“…you remember?” Lea asked, surprised.

“Of course I do,” Isa said.

“Must be nice knowing when your birthday is,” Ven interjected. “I’m pretty sure Master Eraqus used a dartboard. I dunno how he could have known when mine is.”

“That’s why you always hedge your bets when saying what age you are?” Lea asked.

Ven nodded. “Yep. No way to know for sure. Plus the decade and a bit asleep makes things weird. Am I fourteen? Am I twenty-six? Am I some other number? No idea.”

“Would you not be fifteen now?” Isa asked.

Ven froze. “…_would_ I be?”

“How old does that make Vanitas, then?” Lea asked.

“Oh, that one’s easy. He’s been alive for sixteen years. He’s sixteen,” Ven said.

Lea arched an eyebrow. “So he’s _older_ than you?”

“...wait,” Ven said. He leaned forwards, pressing his hands to his eyes. “Now I’m confused.”

“That tends to happen around Lea,” Isa interjected smoothly.

Lea groaned and slumped against the table. “Did I ask to get roasted today? I don’t think I did.”

“You _did_ choose to style your hair like that,” Ven pointed out.

“Oh, come on, not you, too!” Lea groaned again.

“You make it too easy,” Isa said, smirking into his coffee.

“Is that actually his natural hair colour?” Ven asked Isa. “He said yours is; Aqua’s isn’t, apparently.”

“Hey!”

“It’s real,” Isa said, nodding. “Do you think anyone would want it that bright on purpose?”

“_Hey!_”

Ven frowned. “But it’s so _vibrant._ It doesn’t look natural.”

“_HEY!_”

Isa looked over at Lea. “What? That one was a compliment. He said your hair was vibrant.”

“And also unnatural!” Lea grumbled. “Which is _not true_.”

“No, I said it doesn’t _look_ natural,” Ven said, grinning. “Which _is_ true.”

“Those are fighting words,” Lea said, glaring at him.

“Go right ahead,” Isa said. “We all know who wins that fight.”

Lea stilled. “…do we?” he said, finally.

“Huh?” Ven asked.

“It’s been a long time since we sparred,” Lea explained, grinning at him.

Isa raised an eyebrow. “You realize he was probably going easy on you the last time.”

“Yeah, but you wouldn’t need to _now_, right, Ven?” Lea said, grin growing wider.

Ven put a hand to his chin and made a show of thinking about it. “Oh come _on,_” Lea grumbled.

“It sounds to me like you two are going to do something stupid,” Isa commented.

“Us? Of _course_ not,” Lea said.

“We’re just going to fight each other,” Ven added, unhelpfully.

“Of course you are,” Isa sighed.

“We’re gonna need an impartial judge,” Ven said, thinking.

“What’s wrong with Isa?” Lea asked.

Ven tilted his head. “I said ‘impartial’.”

Lea stared at him. “Yeah? It’s _Isa_. You don’t get more impartial.”

Ven snickered. “Yeah. _Sure_.”

“Remind me why they’re doing this again?” Roxas asked. He and Xion were standing on one side of the training field, alongside Isa, Kairi and Naminé. On the far side stood Aqua, Terra, and (begrudgingly) Vanitas.

Isa sighed. “Back when the two of us first met Ventus, Lea saw him playing with a wooden Keyblade, and challenged him to a duel.”

Xion frowned. “But… Lea didn’t have any weapons training back then, did he?”

“No, he did not,” Isa said. “What he had was two Frisbees and a dream.”

“Are you _serious?_” Xion asked, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“No,” said Isa. “The dream had nothing to do with it.”

“Are you really surprised, though?” Kairi asked. “It’s _Lea_.”

“I can hear you, you know!” Lea called, glaring at them. “Thought you were here to _support_ me!”

“Is that not what we were doing?” Isa called back, with the faintest hint of a smirk on his face.

“Roasting generally isn’t supportive,” Aqua called from across the field.

“Have you _met_ us?” Vanitas said, sarcastic. She glared at him, and rolled her eyes.

“I dunno, Aqua,” Terra said, grinning. “Doesn’t it just mean they all care enough about him to notice?”

“Does that mean I get to talk shit about Ventus?” Vanitas asked, starting to smirk. “Hey Ventus! You’re a piece of shit!” he called.

Ven raised an eyebrow. “By that logic, so are you,” he called back. Vanitas crossed his arms, fuming.

Riku cleared his throat. He’d been deemed the “impartialest” (Ven’s words), and as such had been volunteered to referee. “If the two of you are ready?”

Ven summoned his Keyblade, then looked over in confusion as Lea didn’t summon his. “Lea? You chickening out?” he asked, teasing.

Lea took a deep breath. “Nope,” he said. “I just figure that if we’re doing this as a follow-up to the day we first met, we might as well follow up _directly_.” With that, twin rings of fire swirled around his hands, and instead of his Keyblade, his chakrams fell into his hands.

Ven blinked. “Oh. Bit of an upgrade from the Frisbees, huh?”

“You could say that,” Lea said, twirling one of them around his finger, smirking.

Riku coughed. “All right. Try not to hurt each other.” He raised his hand into the air, and brought it down.

Lea immediately lunged forwards, Ven catching his swipe on his Keyblade and being pushed back. “Bit stronger than I used to be, huh?” Lea taunted.

“Still built like a box of noodles,” Isa commented.

Lea didn’t let himself rise to it, instead continuing to hammer against Ven’s defense. “Come on, Ventus, show some backbone!” Vanitas groused.

Aqua frowned at him. “You could try saying something supportive, maybe?”

Vanitas looked at her, blankly. “Why?”

Ven managed to slip under Lea’s guard, circling around behind him. It wasn’t quite a Reversal, but it was close. “Nice, Ven!” Sora cheered. Kairi looked at him. “What?” he asked. “I can’t root for both of them?”

“See?” Aqua said to Vanitas. “Like _that_.”

Vanitas stared at her. “_No._”

The fight continued, Ven mostly dodging around the demarcated ring with Lea chasing. Try as he might, Lea couldn’t seem to catch him. “It occurs to me,” he said, freezing in place as Ven continued to dance around him, “that you might be trying to tire me out.”

“Who, _me?_” Ven asked, the picture of innocence.

“Very funny,” Lea said. “You know, it’s been a long time since I used these. I almost forgot.”

“Forgot what?” Ven asked.

Lea grinned. It was not a nice grin. “That these are _ranged_ weapons.” With that, he hurled the chakrams.

“Oh, ouch,” Sora said, as Ven managed to deflect one of the chakrams, but the other bounced off his head.

“Nice one, Axel!” Roxas called, grinning.

“Get _fucked_, Ventus!” Vanitas agreed.

Aqua and Xion each glared at the boy on their respective side. “What?” Roxas asked. “It was a nice shot.”

“You alright, Ven?” Kairi asked.

Ven gave a thumbs up back in their direction. “Not the worst head injury I’ve ever had,” he said.

Vanitas opened his mouth, but Aqua reached over and closed it. “We get the picture,” she said.

“Might want to armour up,” Lea taunted. “I’m pretty dangerous, got it memorized?”

“…Again, please try not to hurt each other,” Riku called.

“He’s more of a danger to himself, honestly,” Isa said.

“Hey!”

“Why are you getting upset?” Xion asked. “He’s right.”

“_Hey!_”

“Honestly, kind of glad we have someone who’s almost the same height as him to keep an eye on him,” Roxas muttered. He meant it, but was on the fence on whether or not he wanted Isa to hear it. Isa elected not to react to his words, which simultaneously relieved and annoyed Roxas.

“For the love of–” They never discovered what love Lea was referring to, as Ven dashed behind him and swiped. Lea hissed in pain, but Ven was already dancing away.

“Remember, if you call him a brat, you’re old,” Terra called. Aqua gave him a tired look.

“We’re the same age!” Lea complained.

“And yet I’m still young and beautiful,” Ven teased.

“Well, you’re young,” Vanitas muttered.

“No, I agree, he’s also beautiful,” Xion said, nodding sagely. Roxas rolled his eyes at her, but blushed when she kissed his cheek.

“Okay, that’s it. Now I’m _really_ getting fired up!” Lea said.

“Oh _no_. Now he’s started with the fire puns,” Isa deadpanned.

“Is that a bad thing?” Terra asked. At this point, the concept of sides had mostly been forgotten, and the other three had wandered over to join the larger group.

“Puns are _always_ a bad thing,” Isa replied.

“I dunno, under certain circumstances they can be _punderful_,” Sora said, beaming.

Kairi and Riku both glared at him, and he wilted somewhat. “Sora,” Kairi said, “I want you to know that we still love you, even though your bed’s going on the other side of the room for the night.”

Sora pouted, and she patted his arm.

“Oh, _what_?” Ven asked. “You’d have to catch me first.”

Lea grinned again, a grin that was somehow even less humorous than the first one. “Well, Ven, thing is, it’ll be easier for me to catch you, if the arena’s smaller.”

“Smaller?” Ven asked.

“Yep,” Lea said, grin growing wider. “_Smaller_.” He flicked his arms out to the sides, and a ring of fire sprouted up around the field.

“Oh, that’s not good,” Ven muttered.

A barrier had sprung up between the combatants and the group. “Lea, don’t forget you’re trying _not_ to hurt each other!” Riku called. He gave Terra a quick nod of thanks for putting up the barrier.

“Oh, _relax_, Riku, it’ll be fine!” Lea called. “Also, first person to call me a ‘hot-head’ has to make dinner tonight.”

“I’m not sure setting the area on fire is fighting fair,” Ven said.

“…and your point is?” Lea asked.

“Also, this isn’t gonna stop me from running circles around you,” Ven pointed out. “It’s the same area.”

“_Is_ it?” Lea challenged, and snapped his fingers.

The walls started to close in.

“I’m getting some uncomfortable flashbacks here,” Roxas muttered, and Xion took his hand.

“Tick-tock, Ven,” Lea said. “Getting hot under the collar?”

“_Stop_,” said Isa.

“But Lea!” Ven said. “I’m not trapped in here with you. We’re both trapped in here _together!_”

“That’s really not how that goes,” Lea commented. “Whoops!” He reeled backwards as Ven lashed at him, driving him backwards. “Oh, _shit!_”

The fire licked at his back.

“You’re not fireproof anymore, you dumbass!” Roxas shouted. Behind him, Sora was steadfastly holding both of Kairi’s hands down at her sides.

“That is an excellent point I hadn’t considered,” Lea admitted. “All right, guess this ran its course.” The fire vanished.

“I hope you have a good explanation for Master Yen Sid as to why there’s a ring of dead grass on his lawn,” Aqua said, drily.

Lea shrugged. “It’s training. Besides, he can just resod with magic. Whoa!”

Ven lunged at him again, taking advantage of the distraction. “At some point there has to be a penalty for ringside interference, ref,” Lea said, tossing a glance at Riku.

Riku shrugged. “It’s your own fault for getting distracted. Besides, I should put you in time out for setting the arena on fire.”

“That’s a fair and valid point,” Lea said, grunting a bit as he deflected another strike.

“I think we can all be quieter and let them get on with it,” Aqua said, clapping her hands for attention.

“I think we can all go fuck ourselves, _mom_,” muttered Vanitas.

Both Xion and Kairi opened their mouths with identical evil glints in their eyes, but Roxas and Sora both placed a hand on their respective girlfriends’ shoulders and shook their heads.

Silence fell, punctuated only by the clashing of Keyblade and chakram, and the occasional grunts of pain. Eventually, things wound down, both Lea and Ven too tired to continue.

“Aw, come on, a draw?” Kairi grumbled. “Talk about anticlimactic.”

“Hey, I’d still, consider this, a victory,” Lea panted. “Last time, he beat me, without breaking, a sweat.”

“You’ve definitely, gotten stronger, since I’ve been gone,” Ven agreed, breathing just as hard.

“Then you’re both agreeing to call it even?” Riku asked. They both nodded, and Riku raised his hand. “Then this is officially a draw.”

“Fantastic!” Lea said, and fell over backwards.

“I second the motion,” Ven said, and joined him.

Isa leaned over Lea. “Are you all right?”

“Just tired,” Lea said.

“Same,” Ven mumbled.

Aqua bent down and lifted Ven in her arms. “Oh. Okay,” he said.

She smiled. “Come on. Sounds like someone needs a nap.”

“I’m not a little kid but also I’m too tired to argue,” Ven yawned.

Terra looked over at Vanitas. “What’s got you looking like you just drank vinegar?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, this is just my _face_,” Vanitas muttered.

Lea looked up at Isa and pouted. “You gonna carry me to bed?” he asked, teasing. Mostly teasing. Half-teasing.

Isa raised an eyebrow. “It amuses me that you think I could carry you up a staircase without hurting myself.”

“You’re kind of floppy,” Xion agreed, walking up beside them.

“Besides, you could probably sleep on anything,” Roxas added. “The ground’s fine.”

Lea’s pout deepened. “Some friends you are.”

“We only tease because we love you, Lea,” Xion said, beaming.

Lea raised an eyebrow. “That so?” He looked over at Roxas, who had turned bright red. “That true, Roxas?”

Roxas pursed his lips. “…yeah, of course it is,” he muttered, looking down.

“Aw, I’m touched,” Lea said, smirking. “Aren’t they cute, Isa?”

“They’re just stating the truth,” Isa said. “And I agree.”

This time, Lea himself reddened. “Oh. Well. In that case. I guess it’s okay.”

Isa smiled. “I am glad to hear it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What I've been wanting to do for years was use "Committed to Memory" as a title. Ever since Not Whole, Not Broken!  
This chapter wasn't supposed to be "everyone dunks on Lea" but somewhere along the line it became "everyone dunks on Lea". Originally it was supposed to just be Lea, Ven, and Isa; I'm very happy that I decided to expand the cast, even if it meant the "fight" portions of this wound up not being much of one. I had also initially planned for Lea to lose again, but after all the aforementioned dunking, it felt cruel to kick him while he's down.   
And I think that's about it! Not much to explain or go over this time. Next week's chapter is a bit shorter than usual, but my go-to rule has always been that fics are only as long or short as they need to be, and this one didn't have to be all that long.   
One very important thing I need to establish, however. This is going to be the last update between now and the KH Re:Mind DLC coming out. I would like to state now and for the record that I will probably not be able to finish it in a single day, as I still owe myself a Proud Mode playthrough of KH3. Therefore, I would request that you **DO NOT** talk about the DLC in the comment section on this fic; I will similarly not be talking about it in the end notes for the final two chapters. At the rate I'm going with the next fic, (13/20 chapters done at the moment) it should be a few weeks between this fic ending and when I'm ready to start posting that one. By which time I will likely have also finished the DLC; but I will make it clear if I haven't. Thank you in advance for your courtesy!


	13. ...That Never Felt A Wound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Four insomniacs have a quiet discussion

Terra bolted upright, panting, and tried to remember where he was.

He was in bed, in the Mysterious Tower, in his and Ven’s room.

He was _not_ in a white and grey void, attempting to murder Sora and Riku.

He shook himself, and slowly slid out of bed. It was not the first time he’d had a nightmare, and he knew how to get out of the room without waking Ven up.

He made his way down to the kitchen. The previous times he’d had a nightmare about Xemnas’s memories, he’d gone to get a drink. Nothing alcoholic, that wouldn’t have helped, but he’d always been a fan of orange juice. The familiarity was a comfort to him.

The other benefit to being up at odd hours in the morning was that no one was going to judge him from drinking straight from the carton. It was fine, he was the only one who ever drank the orange juice to begin with. He didn’t even have to turn the lights on.

He was just pulling the fridge door open and taking out the carton of orange juice when the kitchen door opened.

The lights flicked on in the kitchen, and Terra blinked hazily at the person in the doorway. Riku, in a bout of strategic genius, had equally blinded himself by turning the lights on. “Terra?” he asked, confused. “What are you doing up?”

Terra looked at the carton of orange juice in his hand. “Uh… just… getting a glass?” he said, hastily opening the cupboard and reaching for a glass.

Riku blinked. “I meant… what are you doing up this late?”

“Oh. That’s. Um. Getting a glass of juice?” Terra tried.

“At three AM?” Riku asked.

“…Sometimes a guy just wants some juice?” Terra said. It was more a question than an answer.

“I don’t think that’s it,” Riku said, frowning. He walked over to the table and sat down. Terra put the carton of juice back in the fridge, and joined him.

“The reason I’m up,” Riku said, “is that I’ve been restless at night since learning to control my darkness. It’s not a big deal, but it is something that’s just the way things are for me right now. Is it something like that?”

“…Not exactly,” Terra said. He sighed, but there was something about the concerned look on Riku’s face that made him feel it was okay to open up. “…I had a nightmare.”

“Oh,” Riku said. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not… particularly,” Terra said. “But… It was one of Xemnas’s memories. And you and Sora were in it.”

“Oh,” Riku said. “I guess I know which one that was, then.”

“Yep,” Terra said. There was an awkward silence.

“Well,” Riku said eventually. “Sora and I both got through that fine. And you’re not to blame for what Xemnas did.”

“I know that,” Terra said. “But it’s hard to reconcile that when I close my eyes and see out of his.”

“I get that,” Riku said. “…sometimes I have nightmares, too. About looking like Ansem. And sometimes…” he fell silent.

“You don’t need to talk about it if it bothers you,” Terra said.

“I just want you to understand that it’s not you alone in this,” Riku replied. He took a deep breath. “Sometimes it’s dreams about… taking Sora’s Keyblade away from him… or about Kairi’s body without her heart in it. Or about Xion, or about Roxas, or about Naminé. Things I fucked up.”

Terra let the language use go without comment. “I see.” He put a hand on Riku’s shoulder.

“Hey, I’m supposed to be comforting _you_,” Riku said, but at least he was smiling.

“We can both do it,” Terra said, and found he was smiling as well. “Even with how much things have changed, it still bothers you?” he asked.

Riku nodded. “Some things take longer to fade than others. And nothing goes away completely. But… the more time passes, the more you see what happened in a different light. It gets easier.”

Terra breathed out. “I hope so.”

“It does,” Riku said firmly. “Don’t forget to drink your juice,” he added, with a teasing note in his voice.

Terra chuckled, and sipped at his drink.

The door opened again. They both looked up to see who was there, and Vanitas froze. “Trouble sleeping?” Riku asked.

“Fuck off,” was the immediate response, but everyone present knew it was more of a reflex on Vanitas’s part at this point.

“You having nightmares, too?” Terra asked.

Vanitas sat down in another chair. “...yeah,” he muttered.

Terra pursed his lips. “…Want some juice?”

Vanitas blinked at the non sequitur. “Sure,” Riku said.

Terra got up and went to the fridge. “Got a preference?”

“Cranberry,” said Riku. Terra gave him a surprised look. “What? I like it. Vanitas?”

“…Lemonade,” Vanitas said, confused.

Terra dutifully filled a glass and placed it in front of Vanitas. “Want to talk about it?” Riku asked.

“No,” Vanitas muttered.

“What was it about?” Terra asked.

“Xehanort.”

“Ah.” Terra sat back down at the table. “Say no more.”

Vanitas’s lips worked back and forth silently. “…does it ever stop?” he asked eventually.

“Yes and no,” Riku said. “It might not go away completely, but it’ll hurt less over time. And if it doesn’t, you have all of us to rely on.”

“He’s right,” Terra said. “We’ll always be here for you, Van.”

Vanitas had unfortunately decided to take a drink of his lemonade just before Terra spoke up, and Terra was only slightly sorry for the resulting coughing fit. “Whatever,” Vanitas said with red cheeks once he had his breath back. He looked down at the table and took another sip, not meeting either of their gazes. There was an almost imperceptible “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” said Terra, at normal volume, but he waited until Vanitas had swallowed. Vanitas was grumbling to himself while Terra grinned when the door opened again.

“Riku? You in here?” There was a scared note in Sora’s voice.

“Right here,” Riku said, rising from his chair and moving to hug his boyfriend. “Sorry, did you wake up without me being there again?”

“Yeah, but… nightmare,” Sora mumbled.

“You, too, huh?” Riku asked kindly, and guided him over to a chair. Terra gave him a questioning look. “Yeah, Sora just kind of gets like this when he’s tired. What was the nightmare, Sora? Was it that Phantom thing again? Or the Kurt Zisa?”

“Nuh. Worse,” Sora mumbled. “Sephiroth.”

At Vanitas and Terra’s confused looks, Riku explained, “Strong Heartless and… we’re not sure what Sephiroth was. Strong opponents he’s faced in the past.”

Terra sipped his orange juice. “I don’t suppose…”

“Yeah,” Riku admitted. “Your Lingering Will, too. Although I don’t think he’s had that one since we got you back.” He rubbed Sora’s back, and Sora slumped in his chair, leaning into his side. “It’s okay, Sora. I won’t let the nightmares get you.”

“Thaaaanks, Riku,” Sora mumbled. “You’re best. Gonna give you a Royal Cake.”

“I don’t need a treat, Sora,” Riku said, amused. He caught Vanitas and Terra’s confused looks and mouthed, “Don’t ask.”

There was now a light snoring sound coming from Sora. “Sounds like it’s time for bed,” Terra said.

“Yeah,” Riku agreed. “Kairi doesn’t like waking up alone, either.”

Vanitas gulped down the last of his drink. “Fine.”

Terra gave Riku a hand in carrying Sora back to their room, with Vanitas trailing behind. Fortunately, Kairi hadn’t woken up yet, and they were able to maneuver Sora back into bed with her. Wishing Riku goodnight, Terra turned to his own room when Vanitas cleared his throat.

“What’s up?” Terra asked, keeping his voice down even though the walls were plenty thick.

Vanitas leaned against the wall, fiddling with the trim of his pyjama shirt and not looking at Terra. “Did you… really… mean that?” he mumbled.

“That we’ll always be here for you? Of course I did,” Terra said, smiling.

Vanitas flinched. “Even the people who don’t like me?”

Terra frowned. “Who doesn’t like you?”

“Well, _Aqua_, for one,” Vanitas muttered.

Terra tilted his head. “Van, you frustrate her, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t like you.”

“Oh, _please_,” Vanitas scoffed. “I know _exactly_ how she feels about me.”

“All right,” Terra said, deciding not to argue the point. “But here’s the thing. Even if she doesn’t like you, she’d still help you. Trust me,” he added, smiling. “I’ve known her longer than you have.”

“…Fine,” Vanitas muttered. Slowly, Terra held out his arms. Vanitas stared at him. “What?”

“Would you like a hug?” Terra asked. “It’ll help you feel better. I promise.”

Slowly, begrudgingly, Vanitas leaned into Terra’s arms. Terra decided to pretend not to notice that the teen was shaking, instead just holding him tight.

They stayed like that for a while, until Vanitas pulled away. “I’m going to bed,” he muttered.

Terra nodded, ignoring the blush on Vanitas’s cheeks. “Goodnight, Van.”

Vanitas paused in his door and looked back. “…Goodnight, Terra,” he muttered.

Terra smiled. The past might be unpleasant, but the worlds kept on moving.

And the future could always be brighter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone I've been playing KH3 for the past two days and right now I've just arrived in Arendelle (like literally as I type this) so let's make this quick (yeah like that's a thing I can do).  
The title for this fic comes from Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, scene 2, line 1: "Romeo: He jests at scars that never felt a wound". (you may be more familiar with Act 2, scene 2, line 2: "But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?") Romeo is referring to Mercutio, who had previously been mocking him for obsessing over a girl who dumped him. There's two ways you can take this line; it's either "it's easy to make light of hurt when you've never been injured" (which, I believe, is the commonly accepted reading; pity it didn't occur to me until later), or "He is making light of emotional scars because there was no physical injury". And that's the sense I mean the title in. "Scars that never felt a wound", as in the emotional wringer all these boys have been through. So that's our classical literature lesson for the day. (Our text interpretation lesson is "don't let the commonly accepted readings stop you from using something as a title".)  
Shorter notes for a shorter chapter, but this didn't need to be any longer than it had to. Holy shit, we've only got one left. I'm still only at 13/20 chapters of the next one completed, since a certain game is eating my weekend.   
Speaking of which! Please remember that there are to be **No Re:Mind Spoilers** on this fic. I'm still in the middle of my playthrough of the main game on Proud, and so I haven't touched the DLC yet. Thank you in advance for your courtesy! Until next time! (And get our poor boy a coat, he's freezing on this mountain!)


	14. Oath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Guardians of Light share one final day before the drums of war begin to beat

The soft crashing of waves on the shore and the familiar smell of sea-salt met his senses as Sora breathed in. He’d been to dozens of worlds at that point, but not a single one of them could compare to home.

He’d come to the realization that there was something super important that he, Riku, and Kairi had neglected to do. It probably wasn’t all that important in the grand scheme of things, but it was very important to _them_.

“Find any?” he called up to Riku, who was high up in the paopu tree. Kairi had volunteered to climb the tree in a completely innocent tone, and they’d almost let her until Riku had realized she was wearing a skirt. Despite the reddening of his face, Sora had managed to equally innocently ask what the problem was, which had put a delighted smile on Kairi’s face and an exasperated, but proud, smirk on Riku’s.

Riku had insisted on climbing the tree anyway. “We’re in luck!” he called down. “There’s a few.”

“Toss ‘em!” Kairi called, and she and Sora grabbed the three paopu fruits he tossed down out of the air.

They settled on the horizontal tree trunk and watched Riku jump out of the tree, both grinning as he joined them.

“Okay!” Sora said. “It’s been a long time, but are we all ready to do this?”

“Past ready,” Riku said, smiling. If he was being honest, he used to not be certain he’d be there with the two of them when the day came. But, here he was, and he couldn’t be happier.

“One important question,” Kairi said.

“What’s that, Kairi?” Sora asked.

She pointed at the fruits they were holding. “Are we supposed to all share one paopu, or do we all bite into one of our own and then swap so we all take a bite of all three?”

Sora and Riku glanced at each other. “Uh…” Riku said.

“Well, we… huh,” Sora said, scratching his head. “I don’t… know?”

Kairi frowned. “Well, it’s gotta be one of the two, right?”

“Right,” Sora said.

“You’d think that would be something that was defined better,” Riku muttered. “Didn’t you two draw each other swapping them? Is _that_ how we’re supposed to do it?”

“I mean, I _thought_ so,” Kairi said. “But now I’m not sure.”

Sora pursed his lips, deep in thought. “Well, then, why don’t we just do both?”

Kairi and Riku considered this. “Not a bad idea,” Riku said. “So we each take a bite and pass it around?”

Sora nodded. “And then get another one that we split three ways.”

“I’ll get it!” Kairi exclaimed, beaming.

“No you will not. Sit down, Princess,” Riku ordered, smirking.

She sat back down, pouting, and also reddening a little, and Riku shimmied back up and down the tree for a fourth paopu.

“Ready?” he asked, settling back beside them?”

“Ready,” Sora and Kairi chorused, and as one, the three of them bit down on their paopu.

It was soft, tangy, and somewhat mango-esque, a taste that all three of them liked. After swallowing the mouthful, Riku held his paopu out to Sora, who took it and gave his own to Kairi, who passed hers to Riku. The three took each took another bite of their new fruit, then passed them along once more.

“You know, after all it was built up for us, I was kinda expecting paopu to not be all that good,” Sora said.

“Me, too,” Kairi said. “That’s actually really great.”

“Have neither of you had it before?” Riku asked. “Wasn’t that jam your mom used to make us sandwiches with made from paopu fruit?”

“Oh _yeah_,” Sora said, remembering. “But the real fruit’s a bit different, right?”

“I do get what you mean,” Riku agreed. He took the fourth paopu and broke it into pieces. “Here.”

Kairi and Sora both took their pieces, and the three of them ate them, then rested back against the tree.

“Hey,” Sora said, softly. “I love you both.”

Kairi smiled. “I love you both, too,”

Riku echoed her smile. “I love you both too, too.”

Sora beamed, and all three laughed.

Terra stared up at the beige façade before him and swallowed. “So this is it, huh?”

“Castle Oblivion,” Aqua acknowledged. “This is… this _was_ our home.”

“I was stuck in here for twelve years?” Ven asked. “Wow.”

They’d come to visit their old home, partially because Terra needed to practice Light Corridors, and partially because they’d all wanted to go.

Aqua sighed. “I can put it back to normal, especially now that Xehanort knows we’re all back, but–”

“Not yet,” Terra agreed. “Not until this is done.”

“Besides, didn’t you say Naminé wants to come along, too, Aqua?” Ven asked.

Aqua nodded. “She did. She has history with this place. It’s not pleasant.”

“Better to leave it, then,” Terra said.

“I agree,” said Aqua.

There was a silence that passed between them.

Ven sniffed. “It’s not going to be the same anymore, is it,” he said. “Not with the Master gone.”

Aqua sighed again. “No, it won’t be. It’ll be just the three of us this time.”

There was more silence.

“No it won’t,” Terra said, suddenly.

“Huh?”

“It won’t be just us. We can visit our friends any time we want. And they can visit us, too,” Terra said. “The Corridors are much safer than the Lanes Between. It won’t be any different than visiting someone’s house down the street.”

“I… did ask Naminé if she’d like me to be her Keyblade Master,” Aqua said, thoughtfully. “So she’d be spending some time here.”

“And Sora would be coming by constantly just to check on us,” said Ven.

“Vanitas probably would, too,” Terra added, smirking at Aqua, who rolled her eyes.

“We wouldn’t be able to keep Kairi away with a twelve-meter pole,” Ven said. “Roxas and Xion would want to hang out.”

“Lea would probably hang around if I opened up the wine cellar,” Aqua mused.

“Isa would, too, just to chaperone the two of you,” Terra teased. “Same with Riku, and Donald, and Goofy, and Mickey might pop in when we’re not expecting it.”

“…Guys, did our family get bigger while we weren’t looking?” Ven asked.

Slowly, Aqua smiled. “I think it did, Ven.”

Terra nodded. “I have so _many_ little siblings now. It’s fantastic.”

That got a chuckle out of both of them. Terra joined in, too, glad to be able to laugh with his family again.

“I will admit,” Isa said, “it’s a nice view.”

He was sitting to Lea’s right. Roxas was on Lea’s left, with Xion on his. Roxas and Xion were holding hands. In their free hands, they were both holding ice cream.

“Told you so,” Lea said, smirking at him. He and Isa were also holding ice cream bars.

“Do you want to tell him about why the sunset is red?” Roxas asked, amused.

Isa raised an eyebrow. “Who do you think tutored him through science class?”

“Hey, I’m the one who had it memorized,” Lea said, poking Isa in the shoulder. Isa brushed his hand away, barely concealing a smile.

Xion let out a happy sigh. “This is nice. I like this.”

“I’ll admit it. I don’t think I completely hate you, Isa,” Roxas said.

“High praise indeed,” Isa said drily. “And I don’t find you completely disagreeable, Roxas.”

“Only mostly,” they both said together, and both smirked.

“Lea,” Xion teased, “are you crying?”

“Huh? No,” Lea said, wiping the tear away from his eye. “I just… I’m glad to see my friends getting along.”

“Was it really that hard to imagine?” Xion asked.

Roxas and Isa looked at each other. “I was pretty sure we were going to have to fight to the death,” Roxas said.

“I was uncertain of whether my limbs were long enough to hold Roxas away,” Isa said. Roxas glared at him, and Isa smirked.

“I’ll fucking take it,” Lea said, sniffing a little.

“So you really were different as a Nobody, huh?” Xion asked. “Has he always cried at the drop of a hat?”

“I do _not_–”

“The tattoos he had under his eyes were supposed to be emblematic of how he couldn’t cry anymore,” Isa explained. “He’s always been like this.”

“Holy_ shit_,” Roxas said, laughing into his ice cream.

“Oh, come _on!_”

“And just _where_ have you been?!”

Donald gulped. Even knowing he’d done nothing wrong, that his whereabouts were common knowledge, that he was doing the right thing, he still had an instinctive fear of Daisy with her hands on her hips. “Daisy,” he began, “I was…”

“Oh I _know_ what you were doing. And it’s very important, but that’s _twelve_ people you could ask to send you home whenever you want!” Daisy huffed, and crossed the room to wrap her arms around Donald. “Can you blame me if I miss you?”

“Aww…” Donald said, and hugged her back.

“Also,” Daisy added, slyly. “What’s this I hear about a locket?”

“Uhhhh….”

“It’s good to see you,” Minnie said warmly, sharing her own hug with Mickey. “I’m assuming you meant to be back earlier and got sidetracked?”

“Gosh, Minnie, I didn’t think I was _that_ bad,” Mickey said, rubbing the back of his head.

She giggled. “I’m just teasing. But aren’t you needed?”

Mickey shrugged. “There haven’t been as many Heartless sightings as of late. Perfect for us to take a bit of downtime. And we’re just a Light Corridor away if we’re needed!”

Minnie frowned. “I know we discussed this, but are you sure you have it handled without our help? It’s true that we’re needed here in Disney Town, but if all the worlds are at stake…”

“Minnie, I get what you’re sayin’,” Mickey said, “but knowing you’re not in danger – well, in less danger than ya would be if you were there in person – it helps my peace of mind, you know?”

Minnie sighed. “I know. But if you need us–”

“We’ll come get you immediately,” Mickey promised.

“Well, I’m glad you were able to get away,” Minnie said.

“I am, too!” Mickey said. “I missed ya lots!”

“Gawrsh, Maxie, didja grow again?”

Max laughed and pushed his dad’s hand off his head. “Dad, I’m in my twenties. I’m done growing.”

“Aw, guess I just miss the days when you were small enough to carry around,” Goofy said, chuckling himself.

“Speaking of which,” Max said, “when do I get to meet all of these other kids you’re adopting?”

“Well, as soon as things calm down, I’m sure we can invite everyone over!” Goofy said. “I’m sure looking forwards to all them meetin’ you!”

“Really?” Max said, surprised.

“Of course!” Goofy said. “You’ve really stepped up while I’ve been away. I’m proud of ya, son!”

Max looked down, blushing. “Thanks, Dad.”

Naminé breathed in, and out, and marveled that she felt _happy_.

A shorter time ago than one would think, she’d believed that that was impossible. That she’d have to either forever live a lie to protect Kairi’s feelings, or fade away into nonexistence. Now, though, through pain and despair, through light and love, through hope and fear, she’d made a life for herself.

She had friends.

She had family.

Still didn’t have a girlfriend, but there would be time for that later.

She made a couple final strokes with her pencil, and the sketch she was working on was complete. The Tower was always an interesting case, since it looked different from the outside no matter how many times she drew it. The changes had nothing to do with the interior additions. She could fill (and had filled) a sketchbook with the variations. She was pretty sure that Riku and Sora had once tried to Flowmotion-race up the Tower, and had actually _given up_ because they _hadn’t reached the top after half an hour of travel_.

“Are you still working on that?” came a voice from behind her.

“Just finished, actually,” Naminé said, turning around and smiling at Vanitas. He moved over and sat down on the bench beside her; things had changed a lot since their first meeting.

“The Tower again, huh?” Vanitas asked, as she showed him the final result.

Naminé shrugged. “It’s nice to have a subject that actually sits still for me.”

“Like you can’t just draw from memory?” Vanitas scoffed.

“It’s not the same as drawing with a live subject,” Naminé said. “It’s always better to use a reference, even if you think you have a good grasp on what you’re trying to draw.”

Vanitas looked away. “I wanted to… talk to you, about that, actually.”

“What do you mean?”

Vanitas’s mouth worked for a bit. “Ventus… thinks I’ve changed since I first got here,” he said finally. “I was wondering… if maybe… something would be different if you drew me.”

Naminé’s eyes widened. “Oh,” she said. “Are you sure? I don’t know what, if anything, will happen–”

“I wouldn’t be here asking if I wasn’t sure,” Vanitas said. “…are you going to make me say ‘please’?”

Naminé tilted her head. “I’m not going to _make_ you,” she said.

“…please?” Vanitas muttered.

She smiled. “Sure, Vanitas.” She put her pencil to the page and set to work.

“How have you been feeling recently?” she asked as she did so.

Vanitas shrugged. “Hard to say.”

“More comfortable?”

“…a bit.”

“Does that scare you?”

“Why should it?” Vanitas asked, a little too quickly, a little too defensive.

Naminé took a deep breath, eyes still on her drawing. “For me, it was always scary. Because if I was happy, if everything was fine… there was something that could be taken away from me.”

“Huh,” Vanitas said, and didn’t say anything further.

There were a few minutes of silence before Vanitas asked, “Do you still feel like that?”

“Hmm?”

“Happy and scared because you’re happy?”

“…a little bit,” Naminé admitted. “If only because we’re heading full speed towards a conflict where my friends might die; and with them, a piece of my happiness. That’s a different fear than having what I have stripped from me. It’s a bit more reasonable.”

“I see,” Vanitas said. “Makes sense.” He still wasn’t looking at her.

“Do you _feel_ different?” Naminé asked him.

“What?” he asked, startled.

“You said that Ven thought you had changed. Do you _feel_ any different?” she explained.

“…No,” Vanitas admitted. “I don’t know _how _I feel. Not the same as I did way back then, _obviously_. I’m not in constant pain. But… things still hurt. Even things I didn’t care about before. I hurt because of other people now. Because _they’re_ hurting. That’s fucking _weird_.”

“It might be new, but that doesn’t mean it’s weird,” Naminé said. “It’s compassion, Vanitas. That’s why you feel like that. It’s why Ven wanted to give you a second chance. It’s why Aqua decided to teach you to read. It’s why Roxas decided to give Isa a first chance, why Sora cares about everyone he makes friends with, why… why Kairi never gave up on me. There’s nothing weird or wrong about caring for others.”

“The weirdest fucking thing is,” Vanitas murmured, “I think I can live with it.”

Naminé smiled. “Glad to hear it.” She turned the drawing around.

Like the first one, it was in black and white, a portrait of Vanitas’s face. The snarl had lessened to a sneer; there was still a sense of aloofness to it, but it was nowhere near as feral as the original had been. Below it lay the reflection, rippled as though seen in a pond. Instead of agony, there was an amused twist to Vanitas’s lips. Had there been colour, there might have been redness around his eyes; the feeling was of slight humour rising out of despair.

Vanitas stared at it. “So that’s how it is, huh?”

Naminé nodded. “I’d say you’re feeling better.”

Vanitas looked down at his feet, then back up at her. “Naminé?”

“Yes, Vanitas?”

“If you wanted to… you could call me Van.”

Naminé’s face slowly spread into a smile. “If that’s okay with you, Van, then I will.”

The sound of a Light Corridor swirling into being sounded behind them, and Naminé quickly flipped to a new page, correctly surmising that Vanitas wouldn’t want anyone else seeing it. Kairi, Sora, and Riku stepped through.

“Hey, how did the fruit-picking go?” Naminé asked, smiling.

“Excellently! Although, we realized we’ve got no idea how we were supposed to ‘share’ it?” Kairi said, also smiling. “So we tried everything we could think of.”

Another Corridor popped open. “Oh, great, _you’re_ back,” Vanitas groused.

“I think that means he missed us,” Terra confided in Ven as they and Aqua stepped out.

“No I fucking didn’t,” Vanitas grumbled.

“Sounds like he did,” Ven agreed with a grin, ignoring Vanitas.

“Oh fuck _off_, Ventus!”

“How does the Castle look?” Riku asked Aqua.

She shrugged. “Same as ever.”

“Still a shithole,” said Naminé. “Didn’t need to go there to know that.”

“Well, you just wait until we put it back to normal,” Terra said, smiling.

A third Light Corridor heralded the return of Roxas, Xion, Lea, and Isa. “–so his foot is entirely stuck at this point. The dog is overexcited to the point of agitation, and we still had half of the pie left,” Isa was saying. Roxas and Xion were both grinning ear to ear.

Lea followed behind them, grimacing. “Do you _really_ think they want to know about stuff like that?” he asked. “We were younger than they are.”

Isa raised an eyebrow. “Why would they _not_ want to know about you embarrassing yourself?”

“Yeah, Lea, why wouldn’t we?” Xion asked, beaming.

“You’re all lucky you’re cute,” Lea muttered.

“That story sounds familiar somehow,” Kairi said, frowning.

“How was the ice cream?” Sora asked, before she could remember.

Roxas shrugged. “Salty, but sweet, same as always. Wasn’t the same without everyone, though.”

“Next time, for sure!” Sora promised.

A final Light Corridor opened up. “Gosh, are we the last ones back?” Mickey asked as he stepped through, followed by Donald and Goofy.

Donald elbowed him. “That’s what we get for travelling with you, huh, your Majesty?” There was a teasing tone in his voice.

“Yep, but it’s not like we weren’t expectin’ it,” Goofy agreed.

“Aw, shucks, fellas, not you, too,” Mickey said, embarrassed.

“How’s the Queen? How’s Daisy?” Sora asked, and the three started filling everyone in on their family visits.

The day was drawing to a close, and the first stars could be seen in the sky. “You know what?” Kairi said. “I’m glad we all met, and that we’re all here together.”

“I agree,” Riku said. “Couldn’t ask for better friends.”

“Awww, you’re gonna make me _blush_,” Lea teased.

“He’s right, though!” Sora said. “As long as we’re all together, there’s nothing we can’t overcome!”

The warmth and good feelings spread throughout the group, and as they all conversed and enjoyed each other’s company, Naminé reflected once more on just how much her life had changed since she’d first come into being. Truly, she thought as she looked up at the gorgeous sky, they were all stronger for having each other.

Far above her in the night sky, a star winked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh dear, that's ominous.  
Now you may be asking yourself, did Sannae really wait until now to use references from Face My Fears and Don't Think Twice as titles? And the answer is yes, of course I did. It seemed appropriate to wait. And there'll be one or two more to come.  
The slight difficulty Sora, Riku, and Kairi have is a reference to the confusion over the actual method of "sharing" paopu fruit shown in KH3, versus how it was made to sound in KH1. Turns out, the translation in KH1 was faulty. (and having replayed KH3 since writing this, I notice I _still_ got it wrong. Whoops. I point this out so you know it's an accident, not foreshadowing.)  
There will be a fic dedicated to turning Castle Oblivion back into the Land of Departure after Xehanort's dead, which I believed I said before, but that was a while ago. Naminé will be there. It'll be a good time. There's no family quite like the family you make for yourself.  
Roxas and Isa don't exactly consider each other _friends_ just yet, but they've moved on from "actively hostile". At least they have dunking on Lea to bond over, eh?  
I'll let you in on a little secret. All the stuff with the Disney characters was added in after the fact, because it seemed weird to me to leave them out. Please remember that I've never seen Goof Troop or any of the Goofy Movies, so this is the only appearance Max Goof is going to have. (I said I never had _plans_ for him to appear. That segment wasn't part of the plan.) He may be mentioned one or two more times, but frankly I find the Disney characters to be the least interesting to work with. I have a Squeenix bias, I'm afraid.  
And as for our final trio... ish, they're missing a point... hint, hint.... The Flowmotion race was originally supposed to be on the Tower grounds, with Riku and Sora demonstrating it by racing up the Tower... and never reaching the top. This was before KH3 showed us the very Euclidean geometry of the Tower's exterior. Personally I prefer the idea that the Tower can't be fully physically perceived by mortal eyes, and that both its internal and external dimensions are a resounding ‾\\_(ツ)_/‾  
As for Naminé and Vanitas themselves, I've said before that it's very important to me that they be friends, for reasons I can't get into yet. Vanitas is definitely not scared of her the way he used to be. His pool of friends is ever-growing!  
I think that's about everything for the chapter, and for this fic! Which means it's housekeeping time! As of today, the NortFight is at 14 of 20 chapters completed. Am I going to try to get the last six chapters done in the next two weeks? Yes! Am I going to succeed? If you've been here a while, you probably know the answer to that question. But it will be going up as soon as it's done.  
In other news, I have finished Re:Mind (as much of it as I _could_ do, at least, and I watched the cutscenes for what I couldn't do myself). That said, I'm going to ask that you continue to be courteous to your fellow readers who may, for whatever reason, might still be avoiding spoilers, and refrain from talking about Re:Mind on this fic. It will be open season on the next one, whenever that is; or, if you'd like, I do have [a tumblr](https://houseofsannae.tumblr.com/). I use it primarily for reblogging art related to what I write (so 90% Kingdom Hearts and a bit of Final Fantasy, as well), but if you'd like to ask me about Re:Mind you're welcome to do it there. I can't promise I will respond _promptly_, but I _will_ respond.  
I think that's about it! Now, if you'll excuse me... I have to go make a [ Hellsing reference...](https://hellsing.fandom.com/wiki/The_Major/I_Love_War)

**Author's Note:**

> Dear readers, it has often been said that I like war.
> 
> Dear readers, I like war...
> 
> No, readers, I **love** war!
> 
> I love Team Attacks.
> 
> I love Formchanges.
> 
> I love Flowmotion.
> 
> I love Counters, Reprisals, I love victories and defeats.
> 
> Wars across cities, in toy boxes, in factories, in glades, on frozen mountains, through wastelands, on the sea, in the air, I love every act of war that can occur within these worlds.
> 
> I love blasting the enemy to smithereens with Grand Magic that thunders across the lines of battle.
> 
> My heart _leaps_ with _joy_ whenever a Nobody is tossed high into the air, and cut to pieces by a well-timed Shotlock. And there is nothing quite like using a powerful Team Attack to destroy enemy tanks. And the feeling that comes when an enemy finally gets free of your combo, only to be caught up in the next with no time to react, is an exquisite feeling. Like when groups of friends all stand together, defending a point from assault on all sides. It moves me deep within my heart to see a newly-playable character cut down the strongest of enemies with ease.
> 
> The sight of an enemy being stun-locked in midair is an irresistible pleasure. And there is nothing more arousing than the sound of an opponent's attack canceling itself out against your own, ruining their attack and knocking them out of their rhythm and into yours!
> 
> When the enemy depletes your health in Rage Form to nearly nothing, only to realize you can now use Risk Charge indefinitely as you have **nothing more to lose**... I'm in ecstasy.
> 
> I love it when my expectations and hopes are dashed by the reality of the story being told. It's so sad to see characters that everyone expected catharsis for gone to waste, put aside with their stories ended by someone who wasn't even involved. 
> 
> I love to be forced into using Attraction Flow by an incautious press of triangle. The irritation as the background music changes to something slower, completely ruining the flow of combat.
> 
> Readers... All I ask for is a Keyblade War, a Keyblade War so grand as to make the Realm of Darkness itself tremble. Readers, I ask you as fellow fans-in-arms what is it you really want? Do you wish for a Keyblade War as I do? Do you wish for a merciless, Critical Keyblade War? A Keyblade War whose fury is built with Orichalcum and Thundaga and Firaga? Do you wish for a Keyblade War to sweep in like a wave of Darkness, leaving not even Heartless to scavenge from these worlds!?


End file.
